Income Advice

Wellhouse Housing Association offers a comprehensive Income Advice Service to all Wellhouse Housing Association tenants. Our income advice officer is able to support & assist tenants on a wide variety of issues including:

Challenging benefit decisions & providing appeal representation.
Providing benefit checks / Income maximization checks.
Completing benefit forms.
Assisting tenants to make benefit claims.

Our Income Advice Officer - Laura Reilly is based in the Hub 49 Wellhouse Crescent, G33 4LA Monday to Friday between 9am & 5pm. Appointments can be made by calling 0141 781 1884.

Laura offers a drop-in service every Friday between 9am & 12pm and 2pm to 4pm.

(Subject to availability)

Home visit appointments are available on request. (Subject to availability)

Social Security Scotland- Devolved Benefits News 2019

The benefits system in Scotland is changing. A number of benefits are being devolved to the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government has created a new public service, Social Security Scotland, to administer benefits.

Once fully operational, it will deliver benefits to 1.4 million people and provide £3.5 billion in payments every year.

These benefits will include a number of payments previously offered through the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), including Disability Assistance, as well as brand new benefits such as a Young Carer's Grant.

The Scottish Government will gradually introduce the benefits that they are creating, including the ones that will replace DWP benefits in Scotland. They will initially open for new applicants, where you are required to apply for a benefit, and over time they will work with the DWP to transfer people to the new Scottish system.

Over half a million cases will transfer. With the DWP's co-operation, the Scottish Government expects the majority of people to be transferred to its new system by 2023, and all cases fully transferred in 2024.

On Thursday 28 February, the Scottish Government's Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People updated the Scottish Parliament on the high level delivery timetable for benefits.

If you are currently receive benefits from the DWP you do not need to do anything right now.

The Scottish Government is working with the DWP to make sure that they keep people up to date when more detail becomes available.

If you do have questions, the Scottish Government has created a question and answer document that may provide the information you are looking for. This can be found at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/social-security-questions-and-answers/

Something that you can do now is give the Scottish Government your views on what you would like Disability Assistance in Scotland to look like. The Scottish Government is currently running a consultation on Disability Assistance in Scotland to get thoughts and ideas on what this assistance will look and how it can be delivered in Scotland. It closes on 28 May 2019. Read more about it here: https://consult.gov.scot/social-security/improving-disability-assistance/

Delivery Timetable

What is happening next and when?

Department for Work and Pensions benefit	Our replacement benefit	Date available
Not applicable – new benefit	Carer's Allowance Supplement	Available now
Sure Start Maternity Grant	Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment	Available now
Not applicable – new benefit	Best Start Grant Early Years Payment	Available now
Not applicable – new benefit	Best Start Grant School Age Payment	3 June 2019
Funeral Expenses Payment	Funeral Expense Assistance	Summer 2019
Not applicable	Young Carer Grant	Autumn 2019
Not applicable – new benefit	Job Grant	Subject to consultation outcomes
Disability Living Allowance (child)	Disability Assistance for Children and Young people	Summer 2020
Attendance Allowance	Disability Assistance for Older People	Winter 2020
Personal Independence Payments	Disability Assistance for Working Age People	Early 2021
Carer's Allowance	Carer's Assistance	Winter 2021
Winter Fuel Payment	Winter Heating Assistance	Winter 2021
Cold Weather Payment	Cold Spell - Heating Assistance	Winter 2021

Universal Credit Updates

Add to your to do list!

If you are already claiming Universal Credit and are liable to pay rent, you must notify DWP that your rent payments have increased from 1^st April 2019.

If you do not tell DWP your rent has increased, you will not be paid the correct amount of Universal Credit.

You cannot notify DWP of your rent increase before the 1^st of April 2019.

You will notice a “To Do” action on your Universal Credit account from 3^rd of April 2019. DWP will ask you if you have any changes to housing costs to report. You should select “yes” & enter the new details of any rent due.

Do not report your rent increase until you are prompted to do so on your “To do list”.

If you need help to do this, please contact your Income Advice Officer, Laura Reilly on 0141 781 1884.

Remember if you do not tell DWP your rent has increased, you will not be paid enough Universal Credit.

Universal Credit & Severe Disability Premium

From 16 January 2019, claimants entitled to an award of an existing benefit that includes the severe disability premium (SDP) are prevented from making a new claim to Universal Credit following a change of circumstances.

Claimants who have a short break in their benefit claim that received a Severe disability premium in the last month and continue to satisfy the conditions of entitlement to the premium, will be prevented from claiming Universal Credit.

Claimants in receipt of the severe disability premium will continue to receive the relevant benefits appropriate to their change of circumstance and will only move to Universal Credit during a managed migration with DWP.

More Information can be found using the link below.

https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit

Universal Credit for 3 or more children

From 1 February 2019 claimants with 3 or more children will no longer be prevented from making a claim to Universal Credit.

Universal Credit will continue to pay an additional amount for any child born before 6 April 2017. Universal Credit will not pay any additional amount for a third or subsequent child born on or after 6 April 2017, unless special circumstances apply.

More Information can be found using the link below.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-and-families-with-more-than-2-children-information-for-claimants

Benefit News

Pension Credit

From 15^th May 2019 mixed aged couples will no longer be able to choose to move from working age benefits to Pension Credit when the older partner is of State Pension age.

This means the partner of state pension age will no longer be able to apply for Pension Credit if their partner is of working age. They will need to apply for and claim Universal Credit instead until the younger partner also reaches State Pension age.

Mixed age couples with a partner under State Pension age already in receipt of Pension Credit or pension-age housing benefit will be unaffected while they remain entitled to either benefit.

More information can be found below.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/changes-to-benefits-for-mixed-age-couples

If you need advice on how you may be affected, please contact your Income Advice Officer, Laura Reilly on 0141 781 1884.

Best Start Grant Scotland

The Scottish government have replaced the UK Governments Sure Start Maternity Grant (£500) with a new Best Start Pregnancy & Baby Payment in Scotland from 10^th December 2018.

Eligible families can qualify for a grant of up to £600 to help support a new baby.

By summer 2019 two additional payments will be introduced:

The Best Start Early learning payment, eligible families can receive £250.00 per child to help with early learning costs. You'll be able to apply between your child's second birthday and six months after their third birthday.
The Best Start Grant School Age payments, eligible families can receive £250.00 per child to help with educational toys and after school activities. The School Age Payment launches from the 3^rd June 2019.

Further information can eligibility criteria be found below.

https://www.mygov.scot/best-start-grant/

https://www.mygov.scot/pregnancy-and-baby-payment/