Collection of documents to help people with Benefits
Motability – The Big Event Manchester 6th May 2017.
- Details
- Category: Benefits
- Published on Monday, 29 May 2017 23:14
- Hits: 7151
Motability Scheme - enhancements to PIP transitional support package
- Details
- Category: Benefits
- Published on Friday, 21 April 2017 21:30
- Hits: 10451
Please find below an announcement from Penny Mordaunt, the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, relevant to the Motability Scheme and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) which may be of interest to you.
You will also find a comment from Lord Sterling, Chairman and Co-founder of Motability explaining this further.
The information relates to enhancements to the PIP transitional support package available to people who are unsuccessful in their reassessment from Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to PIP.
Further details are also available, including a Q&A, on the Motability Scheme website here
Benefits Landing page
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- Category: Benefits
- Published on Monday, 19 December 2016 11:08
- Hits: 8614
Getting Started
The benefits' system is complex, and the rules often change, so even if you’ve looked into it before, it might be worth checking again. And if you have been receiving benefits for a while, it can be beneficial to carry out a benefits check to see if you are entitled to anything that you are not currently receiving.
- Some benefits are affected by earnings, other types of income and the amount of savings you (and sometimes your partner) have.
- Check regularly to see if you’re claiming everything you’re entitled to, as benefits can change.
- A claimant's age can alter your entitlement, so check when you, your partner or your children turn 16, 18, or reach State Pension age.
- If your circumstances change, your local Citizens Advice can help check what you're entitled to, or check out the links to benefits calculators below.
- Many benefits overlap and some are a gateway to others, so if you receive one, there may be others that you can't get.
- If your symptoms get worse or your ability to meet the descriptors change, then it's worth arranging a benefits check.
- It's worth checking how the benefit cap might affect you. It's a limit on the total amount of benefit that most people can get between 16 and State Pension age.
- The rules about some benefits may vary between England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
- When you’re looking into benefits that you might be able to claim because of your fibromyalgia, a benefits' adviser can help make sure you check other benefits too. This could include things like help with Council Tax, National Insurance Credits, child benefit (if you have children), or, if you’re the right age, the State Pension and pension credits.
Types of Benefits
Descriptors and not your illness
Benefits applications are not about what conditions you have or how bad you feel. They are focussed on your ability to perform certain tasks.
These are called the descriptors, and there are a couple of examples below from PIP.
- Preparing food - Can you prepare and cook a simple meal unaided.
- Taking nutrition - Needs prompting to be able to take nutrition.
- Washing and bathing - Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to wash or bathe.
- Dressing and undressing - Needs assistance to be able to dress or undress their upper body.
- Making budgeting decisions - Needs prompting or assistance to be able to make complex budgeting decisions.
More information on the descriptors can be found on Benefits and Works website.
Calculators
You can use an independent, free and anonymous benefits' calculator to check what you could be entitled to.
This will give you an estimate of the benefits you can get, how much you may receive, how they can be affected by the hours you work, and how they may be affected if your circumstances change.
Please find the calculators below:
Further support
Getting help with your benefits' application, or going to a tribunal, is something we recommend as the benefits system is complex and changing all the time.
It can also be stressful, and having help makes it more manageable and improves your chances of a positive outcome.
- Benefits and Works
- Citizens Advice - National organisation that may be able to provide local advocacy and representation.
- Scope UK
- Shelter - Advice about money and benefits from a housing perspective.
Support Resources
You can find out more about our helplines and support groups here including any notice due to holidays or closures.
PIP to DLA - Previous Medical Evidence
- Details
- Category: Benefits
- Published on Wednesday, 21 December 2016 10:44
- Hits: 7923
‘Invitation’ to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in place of your indefinite DLA award.
In the coming months if you are at present in receipt of an indefinite DLA award and were under 65 on 8th April 2013 you will get a letter ‘inviting’ you to make a claim for PIP. If you wish to continue to get some benefit you have no choice but to put in a claim.
The instruction will be to phone the PIP claim line. In bold below is the script of what the person from the DWP will say to you:
“Personal Independence Payment’ (PIP) is a new benefit. Once you complete a claim over the phone (In writing if paper claim requested) you will receive a ‘How your disability affects you’ PIP2 form to complete. When you return the PIP2 you can include any medical or supporting evidence you think may help us. You will then be referred to an Assessment Provider who may gather further medical evidence
Is there any other specific medical evidence from your DLA claim that you think might help?”
The important part is the question at the end and it is likely you would like the previous medical evidence to be taken into account and if you say ‘Yes’ you will be asked:
“Do you know what that evidence was when it was obtained?”
The chances are you don’t know what evidence was given to them at the time so the safe answer is ‘I don’t know’
You should then be told:
“We can send you a copy of the medical evidence we have on your DLA file. Due to requirements under the Data Protection Act and our document retention procedures, previous evidence may not be available. If evidence is still on your file we will ensure that it is taken into account. On the covering letter we send you with the copy of your DLA medical evidence you will be given a date by which you must let us know if you want to use any of the information for your Personal Independence claim.”
This way you get to decide what evidence you want them to use not the DWP. If the person you are speaking to does not offer to send the information to you ask for it yourself.
If you want more information on this or what their ‘script’ says in full if you say ‘yes’ please contact
Janet Horton, Benefits Adviser on the FMA UK Benefits Helpline which is available Mon and Fri 10 - 12. Tel: 0300 999 0055 (please note the Benefits Helpline is closed until 6/1/17)
Benefits & Work request for information on PIP Assessment Centres
- Details
- Category: Benefits
- Published on Wednesday, 13 January 2016 15:03
- Hits: 8529
We have received the following request from The Benefits and Work website. They are asking for information if you have had any experience of ATOS PIP assessment centres. Please let them know by going to their website
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk
Have you been to an Atos PIP assessment centre?
Category: Latest news
Created: Tuesday, 12 January 2016 13:28
PIP claimants are being forced to travel long distances to unfamiliar places in order to have a face-to-face medical assessment, due to a shortage of assessors and assessment centres and a computerised booking system which ignores claimants needs.
We’re asking Benefits and Work readers to help out by telling us about the PIP assessment centre you attended if you have already had a medical. That way new claimants can be better prepared for attending their medical, if they are unable to get it changed to somewhere they know.
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- National Helpline 0300 999 3333 (10am - 4pm Mon - Fri)
- Benefits Helpline 0300 999 0055 (10am - 12pm Mon, Wed and Fri)
- Complimentary information booklets for doctors and other professionals (fully referenced)
- Books and videos
- Website Contacts with legal specialists
- Conferences
- Local support group and helpline contacts
If your Health Care Professional needs some education in fibromyalgia you can request that an FMA UK Health Professionals Pack is sent out to them. All we need is the name of the Health CareProfessional and the address of their practice. We will then send a pack to their surgery addressed from us to them.
You can request a medical pack using this form.
You can find a Support Group near you by contacting the Regional Coordinator for your area. If there does not happen to be a support group near you then maybe you can join with some other members and set one up. Support groups provide a social benefit as well as the opportunity to share tips on coping with fibro. They come in all shapes and sizes and we are often told how they have helped people.
