Latest news and benefits changes from the Nottinghamshire Welfare Rights team. http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/nottswelfarerights For up to date benefit and tax credit rates for 2013/2014 download a rightsnet rates poster. http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/caring/adultsocialcare/welfarebenefits/latest-news/?blogpost=1783 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:06:02 GMT 20130415130602 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:06:02 GMT 20130415130602 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:06:02 GMT 201304151310602 False Timetable for when a claim to Personal Independence Payment should be made. Personal Independence Payments (PIP) started to replace Disability Living Allowance from 8 April 2013 for people aged 16 to 64 with a health condition or disability. In some areas in the North of England New Claims are being accepted for PIP. If you are outside of these areas you are still expected to claim Disability Living Allowance. From 10 June 2013 new claims for PIP will be accepted nationally. If a person currently receives DLA they will not be invited to claim PIP until 2015 or later. The only exception to this is if there is a change of circumstances or if their award is due to end they will be invited to claim PIP earlier. People aged 65 or over who have no claim in place will be asked to claim Attendance Allowance. Existing DLA claimants, who are aged 65 or over on 08 April 2013, will continue to receive DLA for as long as they meet the entitlement conditions. All DLA claimants aged 64 or under on 8 April 2013 will be invited to claim PIP, even if they have reached age 65 by the time they are invited. http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/caring/adultsocialcare/welfarebenefits/latest-news/?blogpost=1775 Wed, 10 Apr 2013 17:06:08 GMT 20130410170608 Wed, 10 Apr 2013 17:06:08 GMT 20130410170608 Wed, 10 Apr 2013 17:06:08 GMT 201304101750608 False This April sees the start of the biggest shake up of the welfare benefits system for over 60 years. The changes will gradually be implemented over the course of the next few years. The following is a summary of the key developments from April 2013. Most of these are being introduced under the 2012 Welfare Reform Act. Social Sector Size Criteria - From 1st April this change brings working age tenants of local authorities, housing associations and other social landlords in line with private tenants. Working age tenants in the social rented sector will have their Housing Benefit restricted to the number of rooms that household is deemed to require. This is to try and ensure the benefit system does not pay for bigger homes than a person needs. Where this does apply the tenant will be expected to meet any shortfall out of their remaining income. If this is not possible they will be encouraged to either secure employment, take in a lodger or downsize to a smaller property. A bedroom will be allocated for a single person or couple, every two children under the age of ten or each child over ten if they are different genders. The amount of Housing Benefit will be reduced by 14% for one spare room and 25% for two or more spare rooms. Nottinghamshire Welfare Assistance Fund - Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans have now been abolished. Upper tier local authorities e.g Nottinghamshire County Council have been allocated a set amount of money to deliver a local welfare assistance scheme. Council Tax Support/Reduction Schemes - Under the Local Government Finance Act 2012 Council Tax Benefit is being abolished. Each City, Borough or District Council has been allocated its own budget to introduce a local Council Tax Support scheme. There are slight variations between authorities so it is important to check each Councils web site for details or go to the a-z of benefits on these pages for links to these web sites. The abolition of Council Tax Benefit will mean that it will no longer be a qualifying benefit for Funeral Payments. Certain properties are also no longer exempt from Council Tax, namely, empty homes for a period of 12 months requiring or undergoing major repair work or structural alterations and empty homes of six months or less. Benefits Cap - This was due to be introduced on April 15th 2013 but the DWP recently announced that it will instead be introduced in four London Boroughs before being rolled out across the country by the autumn. The principal of the cap is to ensure that no workless family should receive more in state benefits than a working family. The cap is set at £350 per week for a single person and £500 per week for a couple or lone parent. The cap combines all the main out of work benefits including Housing Benefit, Child Benefit and Tax Credits. Approximately 350 households in Nottinghamshire are affected by the cap. These will be mainly households with a large number of children or those living in exepensive property. People who are entitled to Working Tax Credit, Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance - Support Component and War Widows/Widowers. Those who have worked for more than one year prior to claiming benefits will be exempted from the cap for 39 weeks. http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/caring/adultsocialcare/welfarebenefits/latest-news/?blogpost=1763 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 10:56:23 GMT 20130402105623 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 10:56:23 GMT 20130402105623 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 10:56:23 GMT 2013040210105623 False