Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board
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
Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board
Introduction to Benefit Changes – Catherine Marshall
• Why has the Government made these changes?
• When are these changes happening?
Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board
What Changes are Happening Now
• Council Tax
• Housing Benefit
Benefit
Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board
What Changes are Going to Happen?
• Disability Living Allowance Ends
• Personal Independence Payment Starts
DLA
PIP
Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board
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.
Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board
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
Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board
What is Universal Credit?
• It will replace some benefits
• Why is this being done?
• Who will it effect?
• Benefit Cap
UC
Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board
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
Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board
How will DWP help?
• Information to people who help and support you
• Help you directly if you need it
Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board
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
Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board
Changes to Council Tax – Jayne Carpenter
• What has happened with Council Tax in previous years
• What is going to happen this year?
Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board
Changes to Housing Benefits – Jayne Carpenter
• What has happened with Housing Benefits in previous years
• What is going to happen this year?
Benefit
Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board
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?
Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board
Letter about Changes to Housing Benefit Housing Associations
• Housing Benefit letter from Housing Association
• Who is getting this letter?
• What does it say?
• What should you do?
Benefit
Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board
Letter about Changes to Housing Benefit
Jayne Carpenter
• Housing Benefit letter from Council
• Who is getting this letter
• What does it say?
• What should you do?
Benefit
Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board
What do you do if you get one of these letters?
• Do not ignore it
• Ask for help from someone who can be trusted
Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board
Where can you get this help?
• Council – Jayne Carpenter
• Housing Associations – Housing Association representatives
• Bromley Mencap – Annette Elliment
Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board
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
Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board
What help is there for people affected by the changes?
• Council – Jayne Carpenter and Colin Lusted
• Housing Associations – Housing Association Reps
Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board
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?
Bromley Learning Disability Partnership Board
Feedback
• What was good about the letters?
• What was bad about the letters?
• What could be done to make the letters easier to understand?