Benefits Advice
The social security system is complicated and constantly changing but it can be broadly divided into two types of benefit:
Means-tested
Entitlement to these benefits and the amount you receive depend on how much income and capital you have. The particular needs of you and your family are also taken into account. You do not need to have paid any national insurance contributions.
Non-means tested
Usually your income and capital will not affect your entitlement. For some non-means tested benefits you will need to have paid enough national insurance contributions.
With Jobseekers allowance and also employment and support allowance you could, in some cases, be entitled to both means-tested and non-means tested elements of the same benefit. For example, if you need additional help with housing costs.
Some examples of benefits we provide advice and assistance with are listed below:
- Employment and support allowance
- Disability Living Allowance
- Income support
- Housing benefit and council tax benefit
- Jobseekers allowance
- Pension credit
- Community care grants
We are good at getting cases resolved at an early stage but do regularly take on appeals up to Tribunal level.
You can access a benefits chart at the righstnet web site , which benefits you may be entitled to will depend on your circumstances . http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/pdfs/benefit_rates_poster_2010_2011.pdf. Get advice!.
Case Studies
Case Study 1 : Mr Joe
Joe is an ex-prisoner, illiterate, deaf, physical and suffers from mental health problems. Nucleus assisted Joe with an appeal by obtaining evidence, writing submission and representing at Tribunal.
With our help Joe won the tribunal. Joe says that had we turned him away, he would have had to claim JSA but could not have satisfied the conditions due to his illness.
He fears that his only viable options would have been to turn to crime and would have been yo-yoing in and out of prison.
Case Study 2 : Mr Jan
Jan is a single parent, with 2 children aged 15 & 16, living in privately rented accommodation and claiming Housing Benefit and Job Seekers Allowance. He contacted Nucleus because his Housing Benefit had reduced from £565 to £340 per week, there was a 5 week gap in his claim and he had been notified of a recoverable overpayment of £1130.
Jan’s Housing Benefit had gone down as he had lost his Local Housing Allowance transitional protection due to the gap in his claim. He was being pressurised by his landlord about rent arrears and was desperately worried about the reduction in his Housing Benefit as there was no possibility of him making up the weekly shortfall of £225.
Nucleus successfully applied for backdated Housing Benefit to cover the gap in his claim which in turn meant his weekly Housing Benefit was restored to £565 per week and that there was no overpayment. In addition Nucleus identified that Child Benefit for the client’s oldest child had ceased when she became 16.
Nucleus advised the client that as his daughter was still in full time non advanced education, he was still entitled to this and helped him to get this reinstated.
Case Study 3
Client has depression, is full-time carer for his mother who has disabled mother. He made a claim for backdated housing benefit but was refused.
We assisted with an appeal and K&C agreed to backdate maximum 6 months. If had not assisted he would not have appealed and his rent arrears would not have been reduced leading to possession proceedings and eviction.
Resources
AdviceGuideInformation on benefits and tax credits for different groups of people including: unemployed, sick or disabled people; help with council tax and housing costs; national insurance; payment of benefits; problems with benefits.
AdviceNow KC HubDetails on local advice services in Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea providing welfare rights services.
Department of Work and PensionsDownloadable forms for claiming (most) benefits.