Money
You may choose to:
- Earn a salary or wage
- Apply for a student grant or loan
- Maximise your social security, disability or other benefits
- Enhance your budgeting skills
- Get information about debt or savings management
The range of components which can be considered in an holistic approach to achieving a decent quality of life in relation to adequate money are:
Salary/Wage
Money paid for work undertaken
Student grant/loan
Money received from a student grant or student loan from your Local Education Authority.
Benefits
Money received from benefits applied for including incapacity benefit, (ICB), disability living allowance (DLA) and income support(IS).
Debt/savings management
Assistance from independent and private organisations or local citizens advice bureaux. For help with dealing specifically with debt, visit http://www.moneyadvicetrust.org/
For more information about mortgages, click here.
Benefits
The complexities of the benefits process involving different agencies and detailed form-filling can often act as a barrier to ensuring appropriate help and support is accessed.
But disability benefits are crucial for a decent quality of life. Accessing the full potential of an individual's entitlement to benefits can assist in achieving this. You can get a benefits check for free from your local citizens advice centre or welfare rights office. There may also be independent community organisations offering advice in your area, you could try looking for their details in the phone book or at your local library. These organisations will also help you with revisions and appeals if you are turned down for a benefit.
Click here to access some simple to use factsheets on different types of benefits:
For more information on benefits for people with mental health problems, visit this web-site run by Neath Mind http://www.benefitsinmind.org.uk/
How to Claim Benefits
Different benefits are dealt with by different agencies and offices. Making sure you go to the right one is very important for ensuring that you get any benefit you are entitled to as quickly as possible.
Generally, benefits staff are likely to only know about the particular benefit they administer. They can give information on a specific benefit but not advice and not general information. If you are unsure about which benefits you should be claiming or if you have any worries about changed circumstances, it is best to contact one of the agencies described above.
Housing and council tax benefit claim forms
These benefits are paid by the local council and you will need to get your form from them although if you are claiming income support, pension credit or jobseekers allowance you will get a claim form with your claim pack. You can also get a form and more details about claiming here.
You can apply for housing benefit up to 13 weeks before you move in although it won't actually be paid until you do move in. It can be back-dated but this will only be done if you have good reason and does not happen very often. It is best therefore to get the form in as soon as possible and make sure you provide all the necessary additional information. It is also worth checking up to make sure that everything has been received by the council and that they are processing your claim.
Income Support claim forms
You get these by phoning or calling into your nearest Jobcentre Plus or you can claim online here.
Incapacity Benefit claim forms
You get these by phoning or calling into your nearest Jobcentre Plus or you can claim online or download a form to complete in pen here.
Disability Living Allowance/Attendance Allowance claim forms
The Benefit Enquiry Line was set up for people with disabilities and carers to claim benefits. It's a free number 0800 88 22 00 and you can request a form over the phone. Some details will be taken over the phone and then it will be sent to you to complete and sign. If you return the form within 6 weeks of this phone call, your benefit will be paid from the date of your phone call.
If you have difficulties using the phone, some-one acting on your behalf should still be able to get claim forms for you to complete in your own time. This could be from your local Jobcentre Plus office or your local social security office. If you pick up the form in person, your benefit will be paid from that date if you return the form within 6 weeks.
You can also claim online here.
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