Benefit news

The (HMCTS) tribunals currently based at Wellington House is relocating. From the 26^th March the new premises will be:

HM Courts and Tribunals Service

The Glasgow Tribunals Centre

20 York Street

Glasgow

G2 8GT

If you have any queries reading this move or are unsure about the location of an upcoming appeal hearing, please contact our Welfare Rights officer Doreen Milne on 0141 945 6724

Personal Independence Payment is the new disability benefit that is replacing Disability Living Allowance (DLA). The Department of Work and Pensions plan to reassess all working age recipients of DLA for PIP by May 2018. At the start of the assessment process you will be sent an ‘invitation’ to claim for PIP by phone. You must do this, otherwise your DLA will be suspended or cancelled and you may not be able to get your payment. If you claim for PIP within the time limits, then you DLA will be paid until a decision is made on your new PIP claim.

Failure to respond to the invitation within 4 weeks – DLA will be suspended.

Failure to respond within further 4 weeks (8 in total) – DLA entitlement is ended.

All PIP Claimants will then be sent a ‘How your condition affects you’ form, which needs to be completed and returned. The return address will be printed on the form. At this stage please do not hesitate to contact our Welfare Rights Officer who can help you complete this form.   This form is points based so it is vital you seek help with this.

Note PIP is not replacing DLA for claimants under 16 years of age.

Benefit Cap

New rates for the benefit cap were introduced between Nov 2016 and Jan2017, these new rates mean that if you are single you cannot receive more than £13,400 per year from benefits or if you’re a couple or lone parent you cannot receive more than £20,000 per year. If your benefits add up to more than this then you’re Housing Benefit or Universal Credit will be cut. This means that you may not get full help with your rent costs and may have to pay some or all of your rent yourself from your other benefit income.

There are some exemptions to the Benefit Cap and sources of help to mitigate the effects of it. If you are affected by the Cap and want to know if you can fit into one of the exemptions or get more help then contact Doreen Milne our Welfare Rights Officer or Carrie Smith our Financial Inclusion Officer on 0141-945 -.3282

Changes for Employment and Support Allowance.

Previously, if you applied for Employment & Support Allowance (ESA) and were found to have limited capacity for work and placed in the Work Related Activity Group, this meant you received a premium on top of the ESA Assessment Rate, around £30.00 per week.

From April 2017 new applications assessed as being in the Work Related Activity Group will no longer be awarded an additional premium, which means the amount of money they receive will be the same as basic Job Seekers Allowance, £73.10 per week.

Discretionary Housing Payments

If you are receiving Housing Benefit but are still having difficulty meeting your rent payments, you may be able to get extra help from the Discretionary Housing Payment Fund.

The fund has been made available by the Council with assistance from the Government.

If you wish to be considered for a payment from the Discretionary Housing Payment Fund you must complete a claim form. Association staff are available if you have any queries or require assistance in completing the application form.

Discretionary Housing Payment form download from http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=15006&p=0

Discretionary Housing Payment Guidance Notes download from http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=15021&p=0