Training courses for benefits and money advice

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In response to demand and in line with the council's Worksmart programme, Advice Works is currently undergoing a change in the method of training delivery.

We can visit your team and deliver personalised training on issues particularly relevant to your client group or service users. In addition to this we are happy to deliver talks and group discussions to voluntary groups and organisations within Renfrewshire. Details of the type of information we can provide is below.

Employment Support Allowance
This course aims to provide participants with the basic knowledge of the benefit, the different types of ESA and who can claim. Further consideration is also given to the main groups within ESA and how to challenge a decision on limited capability for work.

Tax Credits
How tax credits are calculated and awarded including who can claim. We also provide information on recent changes to the rules and how this impacts on claimants. In addition, it shows how tax credits affects other benefits including income support. We further explain when a claimant may be overpaid and how to obtain hardship payments and challenge adverse decisions.

Social fund
Looking at the basic principles of the statutory and discretionary social fund. we explain when to claim community care grants, budgeting loans and crisis loans, as well as the review procedure if a customer’s payment is refused. We can also provide information on maternity and funeral payments.

Disability benefits
We explain the benefits available to disabled people and their carers. We will cover disability living allowance, attendance allowance and carer’s allowance. The aim is to provide the skills to:

• recognise when a customer is entitled to a benefit
• process claims
• deal with reviews and appeals where appropriate

Pension credits and income support
We look at recognising when someone can claim these benefits and also when they may be entitled to an increase in benefit following an award of a disability benefit or carer's allowance. Also key changes to the amount of savings and capital a person can have and how this impacts on these and similar means tested benefits such as housing and council tax benefit.

Debt awareness
By explaining aspects of debt. In particular, it looks at why debt happens, types of debt and how creditors can recover it We also provide advice on how to prioritise debt, and the main options available to deal with it.


Welfare Reforms
We can provide a general talk on changes and challenges faced by the implementation of the welfare reforms or a general benefit discussion.


For information on the above, or to arrange training for your staff or organisation:

• email your request to: adviceworks@renfrewshire.gov.uk
• phone: 01505 382328

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