Training courses for benefits and money advice

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Advice Works offer a wide range of training courses on benefits and money advice to social work staff, other council departments and voluntary organisations in Renfrewshire.

Tax credits
This half day basic level course provides an overview of how tax credits are calculated and awarded including who can claim. It also provides information on recent changes to the ules and how this impacts on claimants. In addition, it shows how tax credits affects other benefits including income support. The course also explains when a claimant may be overpaid and how to obtain hardship payments and challenge adverse decisions.

Social fund
This course looks at the basic principles of the statutory and discretionary social fund. It explains when to claim community care grants, budgeting loans and crisis loans, as well as the review procedure if a customer’s payment is refused. It also looks at maternity and funeral payments.

Disability benefits
This course explains what benefits are available to disabled people and their carers. It covers disability living allowance, attendance allowance and carer’s allowance.  Using case studies, the course aims 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
This half day course looks 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.  Participants will also learn about 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
This course explains aspects of debt. In particular, it looks at why debt happens, types of debt and how creditors can recover it It also gives advice on how to prioritise debt, and the main options available to deal with it.

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

• email your request to: adviceworks@renfrewshire.gov.uk
• phone: 0141 887 7632.

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