Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board Changes to Benefits Workshop

Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board

Changes to Benefits Workshop


Introduction to Workshop• Many changes to benefits

• Some benefits are changing soon – Council Tax and Housing Benefit

• Guests from Department of Work and Pensions, Housing Associations, Council and Brokerage

• Today – why benefits are changing, how they are changing, letters you will be receiving and what people should do

Benefit


Introduction to Benefit Changes – Catherine Marshall

• Why has the Government made these changes?

• When are these changes happening?


What Changes are Happening Now

• Council Tax

• Housing Benefit

Benefit


What Changes are Going to Happen?

• Disability Living Allowance Ends

• Personal Independence Payment Starts

DLA

PIP


When Will This Happen?• Everyone getting Disability

Living Allowance will get a letter soon

• It says things are changing, but you do not have to do anything yet.


When Will This Happen?

• New Claims to PIP – from June 2013

• Existing Claims to DLA - from October 2013 - if you become 16, renew your claim or report a change

• Everyone else – from October 2015


What is Universal Credit?

• It will replace some benefits

• Why is this being done?

• Who will it effect?

• Benefit Cap

UC


When Will This Happen?

• New Claims – from October 2013

• Existing Claims for some benefits - when things change in your life

• If you would be better off – 2014

• Everyone else – 2015 - 2017


How will DWP help?

• Information to people who help and support you

• Help you directly if you need it


What do you need to do?

• Open your letters

• Ask for help from someone who can be trusted

• If something changes in your life, check if you need to do something about your benefits


Changes to Council Tax – Jayne Carpenter

• What has happened with Council Tax in previous years

• What is going to happen this year?


Changes to Housing Benefits – Jayne Carpenter

• What has happened with Housing Benefits in previous years

• What is going to happen this year?

Benefit


Letter about Changes to Council Tax - Jayne Carpenter

• Council Tax letter from Council

• Who is getting this letter

• What does it say?

• What should you do?


Letter about Changes to Housing Benefit Housing Associations

• Housing Benefit letter from Housing Association

• Who is getting this letter?



Benefit


Letter about Changes to Housing Benefit

Jayne Carpenter

• Housing Benefit letter from Council

• Who is getting this letter



Benefit


What do you do if you get one of these letters?

• Do not ignore it

• Ask for help from someone who can be trusted


Where can you get this help?

• Council – Jayne Carpenter

• Housing Associations – Housing Association representatives

• Bromley Mencap – Annette Elliment


What other letters will be sent out? What they are about

• Council Tax letters from the Council – Jayne Carpenter

• Housing Benefits letter from the Council – Jayne Carpenter

• Housing Benefits letter from Housing Associations – Housing Association RepsBenefit


What help is there for people affected by the changes?

• Council – Jayne Carpenter and Colin Lusted

• Housing Associations – Housing Association Reps


Group Work• What do you think about the

appearance of the letter?

• Is it easy to understand what it is about?

• Can you find the information about what you need to do?

• What could be done to make the letter easier to understand?


Feedback

• What was good about the letters?

• What was bad about the letters?

• What could be done to make the letters easier to understand?


What can the Partnership Board and Reps do next?

Agree some actions

Documents

Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board Changes to Benefits Workshop