Obtaining Benefits Advice
Have a physical or mental health problem?
Need help with getting around?
Need help to look after yourself?
You may qualify for Disability Benefits.
Come to walk to an advisor 2-4pm on the first Wednesday of every month at Lister Medical Centre.
Harlow Welfare Rights & Advice
| Benefit |
Age |
Criteria |
Qualifying Period |
| Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit |
16+ |
- Work at least 16 hours a week, responsible for a child or are disabled
- Aged 25+ work over 30 hours a week, no children
- Earnings related
|
- Previous claimants of working families tax credit and disabled person's tax credit
|
| Child Tax Credit |
16+ |
- Responsible for at least one child
- Income related
|
- Paid from date of claim. Premiums for baby under one year and disabled children.
|
| Incapacity Benefit |
16-60 or 65 |
- Initially evidence of incapacity from regular work
- Later, incapacity for all work as determined by DSS decision-maker by applying the Personal Capacity Assessment
|
|
| Industrial Injuries Disabled Benefit |
16+ |
- Assessed (by decision-maker) as >13% disabled
- Employee suffers personal injury caused by accident arising from out of work or prescribed industrial disease
|
- Any time after injury (apart from occupational deafness which must be claimed within 5 years of leaving occupation).
- Benefits will only be paid for three months before the date of claim
|
| Income Support, personal allowances and premiums |
18+ |
- Person (partner) not working 16 hours a week
- Savings less than £8,000
- to 'top-up' income
- income support is allowances plus premiums and mortgage interest
|
- Paid from date of claim
- Premiums for disability/ family/age/ caring paid from date of qualifying
|
| Attendance Allowance |
65+ |
- Severe disability (physical/mental)
- Need from another person attention with bodily function or supervision to avoid serious risk to self and/or others.
|
- Conditions to be met for six months unless terminally ill (form DS1500)
|
Disability Living Allowance
care component |
0-65 |
- Severe disability (physical/mental) Need from another person attention with bodily function or supervision to avoid serious risk to self
and/or others or unable to prepare a main meal.
|
- Conditions must be met from three months and expected to continue for a further six months unless terminally ill (form DS 1500)
|
Disability Living Allowance
mobility component |
3-65 (higher rate)
5-65 (lower rate) |
- Severe disability
Unable or virtually unable to walk due to physical problem (higher rate)
- Can walk but needs supervision (lower rate)
|
- Conditions must be met from three months and expected to continue for a further six months unless terminally ill (form DS 1500)
|
| Blue Badge |
5+ |
- People (including children) with severe walking difficulties may apply to Social Services
|
|
| Severe Disablement Allowance |
16-65 or 65 |
- Incapacity of all work
- Not based on NI contributions
- Assessed 80% disabled by a Benefits Agency doctor or be in receipt of a passport benefit e.g. highest rate DLA care, registered blind.
- New rules since April 2002 may allow some permitted work
|
- Incapable of work for 196 days
|
| Benefit |
Age |
Criteria |
Qualifying Period |
Advice Centre
2 East Gate, Harlow Essex, CM20 1ND
Telephone: 01279 446622
Monday to Friday 10am-3.30pm, Third Saturday each month 10am-1pm. Out-of-hours home visits to house bound people can be arranged.
Harlow Benefits Agency
Telephone: 01279 693000
Welfare Rights Service Advice Centre
2 East Gate, Harlow
Telephone: 01279 446144 (by appointment)
Citizens Advice Bureau
Rooms 1 and 2, Harlow Advice Centre, 2 East Gate, Harlow, Essex
Telephone: 01279 424400
Mon. Tues, Wed. and Friday-10.30am-12.30pm (drop in); 1.30-4pm (by appointment); 10am-noon and 2pm-4pm (telephone). Legal advice 5.30-7pm Monday by
appointment only.
Advice on:
Civil Rights, Human Rights; Sex or race discrimination; How to use an Ombudsman.
Benefits Working families tax credit; Disabled persons tax credit; Income support; Job seekers' allowance; Council tax and housing
benefits; National insurance contributions and benefits; Maternity, child, sickness and disabilities benefits; Benefits for the over 60's;
Bereavements benefits; Low income support and social fund.
Communication TV licenses; Data protection law; Royal Mail code of practice.
Housing Finding accommodation; Tenancy agreements; Disrepair in rented accommodation; neighbour dispute.
Health Services available; Patients rights; NHS complaints; help and support with health costs.
Family Children in need; Children in care; Birth certificates; Domestic violence; Child support for parents living apart.
Employment Self employment; Government employment scheme; Employee rights; Maternity rights; Dismissal and benefits; Redundancy.
Education Schools option; Education Advice; Adult education advice.
Consumer affairs Credit and debit; licenses; Buying and selling second hand cars; Pensions.
Tax Income tax and rates; Allowances; Tax exemption; Child tax credit; Tax relief; Self-assessment; PAYE; Rebates; Council Tax.
CAB website http://www.adviceguide.org.uk
Rainbow Services
Are you on benefits or a low income and need furniture, electrical items or clothing?
Prentice Place, Red Lion Lane, Potter Street, Harlow, CM17 9BL.
Telephone 01279 308151 Tuesday-Friday 9am-2pm for an appointment.
Help the Aged
207-221 Pentonville Road, London N1 9UZ
Telephone: (Seniorline) 0808 800 6565
Free telephone advice or leaflets on:
Finance Income support; Housing benefit; Council tax benefit; Attendance Allowance and other disability benefits; Tax and the over 60's;
Pensions; Budgeting and money management.
Housing Living alone; Keeping out the cold; Residential care; Safety and security at home; Fire.
Health Better hearing; Better sight; Fight the 'flu; Healthy bones; Keeping mobile; Incontinence; Bereavement; Healthy eating;
Young People's Information Centre
Occasio House, Playhouse Square Harlow
Telephone 01279 446815
Opening Hours - Monday: Noon-2pm; Tuesday: Noon-6pm; Wednesday: Noon-2pm and 4pm-7pm; Thursday: Noon-2pm; Friday: 2pm-5pm; Saturday: Noon-4pm.
Benefits guidance (plus advice on housing, writing a C.V. finding work, sexual health, free contraception, pregnancy testing, counselling
and support, careers information and welfare rights). For the 13-25 year olds.
Warm Up-Grants Helpline
Free insulation for those on benefits
Telephone: 0800 952 1555
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