Welfare benefits for people over pensionable age living in Swansea

Welfare Benefits for People over Pensionable Age Living in Swansea

Produced by the Social Inclusion Unit, City and County of Swansea Dinas a Sir Abertawe 2014

CONTENTS: About this leaflet................................................... 1 Background to Welfare Benefits.......................... 2 State Retirement Pension..................................... 3 Pension Credit........................................................ 6 Housing Benefit .................................................... 8 Council Tax Reductions ....................................... 9 Winter Fuel Payment.............................................11 Cold Weather Payments .......................................11 Health Benefits …..................................................11 Attendance Allowance..........................................12 Disability Living Allowance..................................15 Personal Independence Payments……………… 16 Carer’s Allowance .................................................18 The Social Fund ....................................................19 Discretionay Assistance Fund .............................19 Challenging Decisions .........................................20 DWP Contact Details………………………………..24 Other Help: Useful Agencies................................21 • Benefits ……………………………………… 21 • Transport 24 • Household matters 26 • Financial 27

WHO and WHAT is this booklet for?

This leaflet is intended for both men and women who are over pensionable age.

The system of state benefits is rather complicated and can actually put people off making claims. It doesn’t often, if ever, get reported in the press that there is a huge amount of state benefits, estimated by the Department for Work and Pensions to be worth over £17.7 billion pounds, which go unclaimed every year. It is also well known that the majority of under-claiming is among the over 60’s and in 2009/10 the DWP estimated that £2.8 billion pounds of Pension Credit went unclaimed.. The aim of this leaflet is to help you to claim all the benefits you may be entitled to. It will tell you how to claim and give some guidance on what to do if you have problems with the claiming process.

If you feel that there is more information in this leaflet than you really want to know you can simply read the section under each benefit entitled ‘How do I claim?’ and make claims for any benefit you think you may be entitled to.

If you want to claim Attendance Allowance, Personal Independence Payment or you were 65 and over as at the 8th April 2013 and have received a renewal claim form for Disability Living Allowance it would be advisable to get an adviser to help you complete the form.

[See the list of Useful Agencies at the back of this leaflet] 1

BRIEF BACKGROUND TO WELFARE BENEFITS This section is for people who have a general interest in the Benefits System and would like to know a little background information.

The benefit system is administered by four different agencies: • Jobcentre Plus • The Pension Disability and Carers Service • H. M. Revenue and Customs • Local Authorities The first two of these, are agents of the Department for Work and Pensions. If you are over female pensionable age you will most likely find yourself dealing with the: • • •

The Pension Disability and Carers Service (based in Swansea) to claim your State Pension and/or Pension Credit Your Local Authority if you want to claim Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Reduction The Pension Disability and Carers Service (based in Cardiff or Blackpool and Preston) if you want to claim benefits because you are disabled or caring for someone who is.

The Pensions Disability and Carers Service are now responsible for those benefits specifically for people over pensionable age and acts as a single point of contact. This means that claim forms for benefits in addition to Retirement Pension and Pension Credit can be obtained from your local Pension Service. These include Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction and Attendance Allowance forms. The address and telephone number for the Swansea Pension Service can be found at the back of this leaflet.

Welfare benefits fall into three main categories: 1. ‘Means-tested benefits’. These benefits are supposed to act as a safety net to prevent poverty. You will only be entitled to these benefits if your income from other sources and your savings are below a certain level. Pension Credit, Housing and Council Tax Reduction are means-tested benefits.

2. ‘Benefits based on your National Insurance contribution record’. These benefits depend on you, or your husband, wife or civil partner, having paid enough National Insurance contributions. They are not means-tested although some can be affected by earnings or income from occupational pensions. You may be entitled to these benefits if you are no longer working for one of a number of reasons including retirement, unemployment or sickness. The State Pension is a contribution based non means-tested benefit.

3. ‘Benefits which do not depend on your National Insurance contributions and are not means-tested.’ Entitlement to these benefits does not depend on having paid National Insurance contributions and are not means-tested. They are meant to cover the extra costs which people in certain situations may have.

For example the extra cost of being disabled or caring for a disabled person.

Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payment are all non contribution based non means-tested benefits.

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THE MAIN BENEFITS FOR PEOPLE OVER PENSIONABLE AGE ARE: • • • • • •

State Pension Pension Credit Housing Benefit Council Tax Reduction Winter Fuel Payment Health Benefits

And if you are disabled: • Attendance Allowance • Disability Living Allowance • Personal Independence Payment Or if you look after someone who is disabled: • Carers Allowance Other help you may be able to get includes: • War Pensions • Social Fund Payments • Discretionary Assistance Payments • Heating and Insulation Grants • Help with TV Licences.

THE MAIN BENEFITS IN MORE DETAIL AND HOW TO CLAIM STATE RETIREMENT PENSION The State Retirement Pension is not means-tested and so entitlement to it does not depend on your income or savings being below certain limits. It does depend on your National Insurance contributions or those of your husband, wife or civil partner. It is a taxable benefit.

There are different categories of State Retirement Pension: Category A - pensions are based on your own National Insurance contributions. If you do not satisfy the contribution conditions, you may qualify based on the contributions of your late or former spouse or civil partner.

Category B - pensions are based on your husband’s, wife’s or civil partner’s National Insurance contributions and are paid only to civil partners, spouses, widows, some widowers and divorcees.

Category D - pensions are only paid to persons over eighty who do not have enough National Insurance contributions to qualify for a pension.

How do I claim my State Retirement Pension?

The State Retirement Pension is not paid automatically when you reach retirement age and you have to: • •

Make a claim on a form known as a BR1 form. You should be sent this form four months before you reach pension age.

If this does not arrive and you are only three months away from retirement age you should contact your local Pension Service and ask them to send you a form, or 3

phone the State Pension claim line Tel: 0800 731 7898 (Monday – Friday 8am – 6pm), or Textphone: 0800 731 7339.

• It is now possible to claim your pension by telephone on the above number if you are within four months of your pension age; or. a claim form can be downloaded or completed online at www.gov.uk/claim-state-pension-online • A claim for State Retirement Pension can be backdated for 12 months. You cannot backdate your claim to any date period before the date that you would have first become entitled to your pension. You do not have to give any reasons why your claim is late. On the claim form there is a question that asks ‘What date do you want to claim your State Retirement Pension from?’ You are then asked to tick the appropriate box.

• Tick the box which says you want to claim from the earliest possible date which should ensure that you get the maximum backdating.

If you are in receipt of other benefits you may not need to make a claim for your State Pension as it will be awarded automatically.

For help to complete the claim form you should contact one of the agencies listed at the back of this leaflet When can I claim?

The State Retirement Pension is available to people over retirement age (Category A pension). If you have not paid National Insurance contributions you may qualify for a category B pension which will be based on your spouse or civil partner’s contribution record, you cannot claim this pension until your spouse or civil partner attains pensionable age and is entitled to a Category A pension themselves.

If you have not paid enough NI contributions to qualify for a full pension it is possible to boost the amount of your pension either by paying to replace any missing NI qualifying years or by deferring the start of your pension. Please note that buying extra years NI contributions is not always worth doing. If you are considering these options seek independent advice or contact the Pensions Service for information.

If you think you have gaps in your NI record and do not receive a notice informing you of this, you can contact HMRC: Tel: 0845 915 5996 For many years pension age was 60 for both men and women, but retirement age was 60 for women and 65 for men, new government rules mean that the pension age and retirement age will equalise and by December 2018 it will be 65 To enable this equalisation, women’s retirement age is currently in the process of gradually increasing to 65 by 2018. This increase in retirement age affects all women born on or after 6th April 1950.

From December 2018 the age of retirement for both men and women will increase to 66

by October 2020, 67 by 2036 and then rise gradually to 68 by 2046 .To see more on the changes to the date of retirement age for women see the Pension Credit section.

How much will I get?

How much you get depends on your own and/or your spouse or civil partner’s National Insurance contributions. The amount of pension you receive will depend on a number of factors: • • •

whether you have a full contribution record; if you have any breaks in your contribution record; which category of pension you are entitled to; and 4

•

if you have earned a graduation or earnings related pension.

Your record of National Insurance contributions are held by the Pension Service and by H.M.R.C (see previous section). If you have not worked or had gaps in your employment history then you may have been getting NI credits which count as a qualifying year. These were automatically awarded for any weeks you were claiming certain benefits, e.g. child benefit for a child under 12, carers allowance, job seekers allowance, incapacity benefit, or employment and support allowance.

NI Credits for certain parents and carers These credits replaced ‘home responsibilities protection’ from 6th April 2010.and can help to increase entitlement to Category A and B retirement pensions. You can be credited with Class 3 credits if: • for any part of the week you are awarded Child Benefit for a child/children under 12 years, • you reside with someone who, for any part of the week, is awarded child benefit for a child aged under 12, you share responsibility with that person for that child and the person awarded Child benefit has paid or been credited with NI contributions.

• Approved foster carers (or kinship carers if you are in Scotland) • you are caring for someone for at least 20 hours a week or for more than one person for a total of at least 20 hours and week and that person receives AA, DLA middle or high rate care or the daily living component of PIP; or a decision maker considers that the level of care provided is adequate and certified by a health care practitioner as being required.

• You satisfy the conditions for carers who may be entitled to Income Support.

• You are within the12 week period before you became entitled to Carers Allowance or the 12 week period after you stopped being entitled to this benefit.

• You provide care for a child under 12 and you are the child’s parent, grandparent (great or great –great), brother, sister, aunt, uncle, nephew or niece or partner of former partner of any of these and someone else is in receipt of child benefit for the child.

If you have been in receipt of Child Benefit or Income Support you will receive their credits automatically, but for other categories you will have to apply for them. You must apply for these credits after the end of the tax year in question. Ring HMRC (0845 302 1479) for a CC1 claim form for carers or download a claim form CF411A from www.hmrc.gov.uk/forms/cf411A.pdf) for parents and carers of children.

You can ask the Pension Service for a State Pension forecast before you reach retirement age by contacting the Future Pension Centre : Tel 0845 300 0168. State Retirement Pension rates are increased annually.

Deferring Retirement Pension You do not have to start claiming pension at “retirement age”. You can increase the amount of pension you get by deferring your claim - as long as you don’t claim other benefits in the meantime. If you defer for 12 months or more you can choose to have a taxable lump sum or an increased weekly amount. If you defer for at least 5 weeks you can receive a higher weekly State Pension. A one off lump sum is based on the amount that you would have received had you not deferred your claim plus interest. Any lump sum obtained is ignored indefinitely under the capital rules for Pension Credit and Housing benefit.

If you are considering deferring your State Pension you should seek specialist advice as it is important to consider the full implications.

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Future Changes to State Retirement Pensions The government plans to replace the basic and additional state retirement pension with a single tier flat rate pension from April 2016. This will only apply to those claimants who reach State Pension age once the new State Pension has been introduced. Individuals who reach State Pension age before this date will receive a state pension in line with existing rules.

Those likely to benefit from these changes are; the self employed, people with low life time earnings and those who have time out of the labour market due to unemployment, caring or disability. However disadvantaged groups are expected to be; higher earners, people with less than the minimum contributions needed to qualify for any State Pension, some people who may be affected by the abolition of the Savings Credit part of Pension Credit and some people who under the current system would receive a state pension based on their partner’s record.

PENSION CREDIT Pension Credit is a means-tested benefit for people over women’s pensionable age (see section When do I claim pension credit?). There is no upper capital limit. The first £10,000 of your capital is ignored completely and any capital over this figure will affect the amount that you get. Pension Credit has two parts which are called: Guarantee Credit (for people over women’s pensionable age) and Savings Credit (a reward for people who have made some modest provision for their retirement and are aged over 65).

The Guarantee Credit is more generous than the personal allowance in other means tested benefits (e.g. Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance). The Savings Credit is intended to reward pensioners who have made some provision for their retirement in the form of modest occupational pensions, private pensions or savings. It can be paid on its own or with guarantee credit. Pension Credit can be automatically backdated for 3 months providing you meet the criteria for the period you are requesting backdating for.

How do I claim Pension Credit?

• Claims for Pension Credit can be made over the phone, Tel: 0800 99 1234 or Textphone: 0800 169 0133. Mon – Fri 8am – 6pm. You will need to provide information on you and your partners NI number, an idea of how much money you have coming in each week, details of any savings and investments and information on housing costs such as mortgage interest, service charges or ground rent.

•

Claims can also be made on a standard form (PC1) which can be obtained from the Pension Service by calling the above telephone number The Pension Credit form comes with nineteen pages of notes which are supposed to help you complete the form. If you feel you need assistance to understand the notes and/or fill in the form you should contact an advice agency. There are telephone numbers given at the end of this leaflet.

When can I claim Pension Credit?

The age at which Pension Credit can be claimed by men and women is changing in line with the rising of state pension age for women. In the case of couples, at present, only one partner needs to be over women’s pensionable age but this is due to change when Universal Credit is introduced. The current rules on qualifying age are as follows, but may be subject to change.

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• • •

A claim can only be made if you (male or female) have attained the age at which a woman becomes of pensionable age. The age at which women qualify for retirement pension depends on their date of birth.

For women born between 6th April 1950 and 5th December 1953 the age at which they can claim state retirement pension is gradually increasing and they will reach pensionable age between 60 and 65.

For men and women born on or after 5th December 1953 the qualifying age is increasing to 66 by October 2020 and 67 by 2036.

Please note that under current government plans the retirement age of both men and women will then rise to 68 by 2046.

In order to check what your retirement age will be (and therefore the age at which you may qualify for Pension Credit) please contact the Pensions Service either by letter or phone (details at the back of this booklet). You can also use the Pension Service’s online state pension age calculator which is on the Direct.Gov.UK website. www.gov.uk/calculate-statepension For example: Period within which your birthday falls:

: Date reaches pensionable age

06/02/52-05/03/52 06/03/52- 05/04/52 06/04/52-05/05/52 06/05/52-05/06/52 06/06/52- 05/07/52 06/07/52-05/08/52 06/08/52-05/09/52

06/01/2014 06/03/2014 06/05/2014 06/07/2014 06/09/2014 06/11/2014 06/01/2015

Backdating Pension Credit can be backdated for a maximum of three months, but cannot be backdated to before pensionable age.

If your birthday was over 3 months ago and you believe you would have qualified if you had claimed earlier, you should work out 3 months prior to the date you are claiming and put that date on the form. You should say you think you qualify from that date because Pension Credit can be backdated for 3 months providing you met all the qualifying conditions.

How do I know if I am entitled to the Guarantee Credit?

If you don’t want to read this section simply miss it out and make a claim. If you are turned down you can contact an advice agency and ask them to check your entitlement.

Alternatively you can use the governments online pension credit calculator which would provide you with an estimation of any Pension Credit that you may be entitled to. To access this go to: https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit-calculator Every year the Government sets an amount of money which people over women’s pensionable age should have to live on each week. If your income from all sources is less than this set amount then you will be entitled to have your income topped up by Guarantee Credit. These basic amounts are called the ‘Standard Minimum Guarantee’. What this 7

means in effect is that no single person or couple over women’s pensionable age should have less than this amount to live on.

Additional amounts may be added if you or your husband/wife/civil partner is severely disabled and/or is caring for someone who is severely disabled.

Help towards your interest payments which you pay on a mortgage can also be added to the Standard Minimum Guarantee (these payments will be paid directly to your lender).

Any payments which you make off the capital cannot be included. [If you pay rent you may be entitled to help with your rent through the Housing Benefit scheme].

Once these extra amounts have been added this gives the amount that each individual or couple should have to live on each week. This is called the ‘Appropriate Amount’. Because of these extra amounts that can be added each person’s or couple’s appropriate amount will be different. If you think that you might be entitled you should make a claim.

If you qualify for the Guarantee Credit you will automatically qualify for full Council Tax Reduction and Housing Benefit for your rent (regardless of the amount of capital you have).

How do I know if I am entitled to any Savings Credit?

To qualify for Savings Credit either you or your partner has to be aged 65 or over and you have to have other money coming in which is more than the threshold set (e.g more than the basic rate of State Retirement Pension; Occupational Pension or income from capital).

There is no easy way to know if you are entitled to Savings Credit, the only way to be sure is to make a claim or seek advice from an advice agency (see list of agencies at the back of this booklet).

How much Guarantee Credit will I get?

How much you get will depend on your particular circumstances.

• • • • •

If you are single or a couple If you have other income or savings If you are considered to be ‘severely disabled’ If you are considered to be a ‘carer’ If you have to make interest payments on a mortgage.

How much Savings Credit will I get?

There is a maximum amount of Savings Credit you can get. There are no circumstances in which you can get more than this, but you may get less depending on the amount of income and savings you have coming in. The amount of savings credit has been gradually reduced since 2010.

HOUSING BENEFIT [HELP TO PAY YOUR RENT] Housing Benefit is paid to people who have to pay rent for the place where they live. It is administered by the Local Authority on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions. It is means-tested so the amount of income and savings you have will be assessed and could affect the amount of Housing Benefit you actually receive. If you have £16,000 or more then you will not be entitled to any Housing Benefit unless you are receiving the Guarantee part of Pension Credit in which case you will get full Housing Benefit.

How do I claim Housing Benefit?

• If you are making a claim for Pension Credit and you ask the Pension Service to send you a claim form you should also ask them to send you a HCTB1 form [for help with rent] to make a claim for Housing Benefit.

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• •

•

If you are making a telephone claim for Pension Credit you should be asked if you want to claim Housing Benefit at the same time.

If you are not making a claim for Pension Credit you should contact your Local Authority Housing and Council Tax Benefit Section and ask them to send you a claim form. Tel: 01792 635885, or go to the Contact Centre in the Civic Centre, Mon Friday 8.30am - 4.45pm. Applications can also be made online at the City & County of Swansea web pages for Housing and Council Tax Benefit.

Claims and change of circumstances take effect from the Monday following the claim /change of circumstance.

When can I claim?

You can claim from the time your liability to pay rent begins even if you have not yet moved into the property. Housing Benefit can be automatically backdated for up to 3 months if you are over female pensionable age.

How much will I get?

Because Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction are means-tested benefits, the amount you get will depend on your particular financial and domestic circumstances. If you are getting the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit then you will usually get full Housing and Council Tax Reduction. If you live in a Council or Housing Association property this will usually mean all your rent is covered, however there may be deductions made if you have what is called a “non dependant adult” living with you, for example a grown up son or daughter. But there are some people for whom no deduction is made even if they have a non dependant living with them and you should check with an adviser to see if you are one of these people.

If you rent from a private landlord the amount you get could be less than the rent you have to pay. This could be, for example, because the rent the landlord is charging is higher than the local housing allowance for the area in which you live, or because the property is considered to be too big for you and your family’s needs. If this is the case you will have to make up the difference between the rent you have to pay and the amount of Housing Benefit you get (you may qualify for and be awarded a ‘discretionary housing payment’ to cover this shortfall – seek advice). The reduction for non dependants also applies to private landlord tenancies.

COUNCIL TAX REDUCTION SCHEME AND OTHER HELP WITH COUNCIL TAX There are four ways in which you could get help with paying your Council Tax: • • • •

Council Tax Reduction Discounts schemes A disability reduction Exemption

Council Tax Reduction Scheme Council Tax Reduction is administered by the Local Authority on behalf of Welsh Government. It is no longer a Social Security Benefit and the rules have changed slightly but in the main are very similar to those for Housing Benefit. Council Tax Reduction is a means-test benefit and any savings or capital you have over £16,000 will mean that you are not entitled to Council Tax Reduction unless you are getting the Guarantee part of Pension Credit in which case you will be entitled to the full Council Tax Reduction available in that current year. If you are not getting the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit then, 9

as with Housing Benefit, your financial and domestic circumstances will determine your entitlement and the amount you will receive. Non –dependent deductions as described in Housing Benefit, also apply to Council Tax Reduction.

How do I claim • If you have made a claim for Pension Credit and have received a claim form for Housing Benefit; or you made a claim for Pension Credit and requested that you wanted to make a claim for Housing Benefit – your Housing Benefit claim should trigger a claim form for Council Tax Reduction to be sent to you to complete.

• If you haven’t made a claim for Pension Credit you should contact your Local Authority.

• There are two forms available, one to claim Council Tax reduction alone and the other to make a joint claim for both Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction.

• Claims can be automatically backdated for 3 months for those over female pensionable age.

• The date of claim and any relevant change of circumstances will take affect from the date the claim has been received or the date of the change of circumstances takes place.

Discount Schemes You may be entitled to a discount on your Council Tax because of the number of people in your home. If you live alone you will get a discount of 25% off your Council Tax. If there are other people living with you some of them may be disregarded for Council Tax which means that you could get a substantial discount on your council tax. Examples of people who can be disregarded would be; some full time students and apprentices; certain people who are caring for a sick or disabled person and people who are severely mentally impaired.

A disability reduction You may qualify for a reduction in your Council Tax liability if you or any other resident in your home [including children] is disabled and: You have an additional bathroom or kitchen needed by the disabled person Or You have a room which is needed and mostly used by the disabled person Or Space has been made available in the home for the use of a wheelchair.

If you qualify your Council Tax will be reduced to the amount which is payable in the Council Tax Band below the one your home is in. If it is in the lowest band then the amount you have to pay will be reduced by one-sixth.

Exemptions Some homes are completely exempt from Council Tax. This will apply to some houses that are unoccupied and to some that are occupied by certain categories of people. The rules are complicated and you should seek advice.

How do I claim help with Council Tax? Claim forms for Discounts and Reductions can be obtained from your Local Authority (details in Housing Benefit section above).

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WINTER FUEL PAYMENT This is a one off payment made each year to help with the cost of winter fuel bills. Most people aged women’s pensionable age and over get a winter fuel payment, providing that they are this age or over in the week beginning on the third Monday in September. If you or your partner are over eighty there is an extra amount.

How do I claim Winter Fuel Payment?

If someone in your household is getting a State Retirement Pension or other qualifying Social Security benefit, or if you received this payment last year, you should automatically receive a Winter Fuel Payment without having to make a claim.

If you have not received a payment and think that you are eligible you should contact the Winter Fuel Helpline Tel: 08459 151515 (local rate) or Text phone 0845 601 513, or the Pensions Service Tel: 0845 6060265. You can ask on the phone for a claim form to be sent out or download one from www.direct.gov.uk.

You must make your claim before 31st March following the qualifying week in September (see above). Winter Fuel Payment is usually paid between November and January every year. If you want to receive payment before Christmas you should submit your claim before the qualifying week in September.

COLD WEATHER PAYMENT This is a one off payment made for a period of very cold weather. It is paid for each week between 1st November and 31st March in which the average temperature at the weather station in your area is forecast or recorded as being at/or below zero degrees Celsius [below freezing] for seven consecutive days. It is paid on top of the Winter Fuel payment for those who qualify.

How do I claim Cold Weather Payment?

You will get a Cold Weather Payment automatically if you or your partner is getting Pension Credit. There is a postcode checker in the pensions section at www.direct.gov.uk to find out which areas have triggered payments.

How much will I get?

The payment is currently ÂŁ25.00 for each week of very cold weather.

HEALTH BENEFITS Prescription Charges In Wales you automatically qualify for free prescriptions regardless of age.

Eyesight Tests and glasses If you are over sixty you automatically qualify for free eyesight tests. You may also qualify for free eye tests if you are registered blind, partially sighted, diagnosed as having diabetes or glaucoma or are over 40 and a close relative of someone with glaucoma. If you are getting the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit you should qualify for vouchers that you can use towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses. Vouchers may not cover the full costs, so you need to shop around if you do not want to pay extra costs. If you are not getting the Guarantee Credit you may also qualify for free glasses or contact lenses or help towards the cost of them if your income is low enough.

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Dental Treatment and Dentures If you live in Wales you are automatically entitled to a free dental examination if you are over sixty. There is no automatic entitlement to free dental treatment on the grounds of age, however if you are getting the Guarantee Credit you are entitled to free treatment. If you are not getting the Guarantee Credit you may qualify for free treatment or help towards the cost of treatment on the grounds of low income.

How do I claim help with Eyesight Tests and Glasses and Dental Treatment?

If you are on a low income and think you may qualify you should claim on a form called an HC1 form which is available from Post Offices, Jobcentre Plus offices and NHS GP’s and hospitals. Some opticians and dentists may have also stock them. You can request a form by phone, Tel: 0845 603 1108 and select the health publications option or download the form from www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/HealthCosts/1128.aspx If you need help to fill in the form Tel: 0845 850 1166; an adviser will fill the form out for you and send it out for you to sign and return.

Fares to Hospital If you are over women’s pensionable age and in receipt of the Guarantee Credit or your income is low enough you will qualify for help to cover the cost of travel to hospital for treatment. If your income is not low enough for full help you may be entitled to partial help.

You will be expected to travel by the cheapest form of standard public transport unless for some reason it is not feasible in which case the costs of travelling by car or taxi should be covered. If you need to be accompanied by an escort for medical reasons the additional cost can also be covered.

How do I claim Fares to Hospital?

You should claim at the hospital where you are receiving treatment by going to the office which deals with fares. It may be possible to claim in advance by contacting the hospital.

You will need to keep the receipt from your travel fares. If you are claiming the cost of fares because you are in receipt of a means tested benefit such as Pension Credit you will need to show proof of this benefit, such as an award notice. If you are claiming because of low income, you will need to claim by completing an HC1 form, as above.

ATTENDANCE ALLOWANCE Attendance Allowance is a benefit for people over 65 who have a physical or mental illness or disability which means that they need help with personal care during the day and/or at night, or they need someone to keep an eye on them to keep them safe. They do not have to have help, only show that help is needed with things like: • getting in and out of bed • washing and bathing • getting dressed and undressed • moving about the house • getting up and down stairs • getting to and from using the toilet • taking medication • eating and drinking • seeing, hearing and/or thinking • communicating The help needed with these activities can be physical help because you are physically ill or disabled and unable to do these things for yourself or it can be help in the form of someone talking to you to persuade or encourage you to take care of yourself because of 12

an illness like depression. The need for someone to keep an eye on you could be because of the risk of falls, or because it would be unsafe for you to be left on your own because you are forgetful, easily confused or vulnerable.

You do not need to be actually getting this help and you do not need to show that it is medically required. However the help must be reasonably required which means that the need for it must be something more than mere preference and you must have reasonably required the help for at least six months to qualify. [There are special rules for people who are terminally ill].

Attendance Allowance is tax free and it is not means-tested so it is not affected by your income or savings. It is not counted as income for other benefits and can increase or bring you into entitlement to other means tested benefits for the first. It is advisable to seek advice or make a claim if you are unsure. Entitlement is not affected by whether you live on your own or with other people and the money can be spent in any way you choose.

How do I claim Attendance Allowance?

You can obtain claim forms from: • The Pension Service Tel: (free phone) 0800 731 7898 (Monday – Friday 8am – 6pm), or Text phone: 0800 731 7339.

• Attendance Allowance Tel: 0845 605 6055 (calls charged at 1p – 10.5p per minute from landlines and 12p – 41p per minute from mobiles) • You can download one from the Department for Work and Pensions website or make an online claim from www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance/how-to-claim • The Citizens Advice Bureau or other Advice Service A form that you receive by post should have two dates on it. The earlier date is the date that they received your request for the form and the later date is the date that the form must be returned by. Providing you return the form by the later date, if you are awarded benefit you will be paid from the earlier date.

The form asks you to tick boxes to indicate your need for help with personal care and someone to keep an eye on you. It lists the tasks you may need help with or why you may need someone to keep an eye on you. There is one page for day time needs and another for night time needs. You are given blank boxes in which to describe in your own words the kind of help you need and to say why you have such needs and there is a further blank box in which you are invited to say anything else you think they ought to know and to say how your illness or disability affects your day to day living.

It is very important to describe the problems and difficulties that you have with carrying out the above activities as fully as possible and relate it to your illness and disabilities as to why you have these needs. If possible it would be better to seek the help of an Advice Agency with the completion of the form. If this is not possible the following may be useful pointers to bear in mind. These are pointers only and it is important to think carefully about how you are affected by your disability or illness and to try to give as full a picture as possible and to give examples of what your difficulties are. The decision to award you benefit or not will usually be based on the information you give on the form.

Do not hesitate to use more paper if you cannot get everything you want to say in the boxes provided. Remember that when the decision maker considers your claim this will probably be the only information they have.

•

Getting in and out of bed: Consider how you feel when you wake up in the morning and how you manage to get out of bed. Are your joints painful and stiff?

Would it be less painful for you to sit up in bed and to rise to standing if someone 13

could be there to help you? Are you unsteady on your feet when you first stand?

Have you ever fallen/stumbled or sat back on the bed because you could not keep your balance? When you get to the sitting position do you need to wait for a while for the pain to subside or to get your breath back? Do you feel dizzy? Do you use any aids to help you get out of bed? Is it a struggle for you and does it take you a long time? If you suffer from depression do you need someone to motivate you by talking and encouraging you to get up and without that encouragement would you spend all morning/day in bed?

•

Washing and bathing: Consider how you get in and out of the bath, can you do this safely and without help? Are you able to sit yourself down in the bath and stand up again safely? Have you ever fallen/slipped? If you have a shower is it over the bath so does that cause problems? Can you bend down to wash your legs and feet? Can you reach up with both arms to wash your hair? Can you dry yourself properly? Do you get breathless in the bath/shower? Does the effort exhaust you? Do you need someone to encourage you to take a bath or shower because you are depressed and unable to motivate yourself? Do you have a visual impairment which makes it difficult for you to make sure your hair is properly combed, your make up properly applied, and your clothes clean etc?

•

Dressing and undressing: Consider the problems getting out your clothes, matching them up and the exertion required. Does the effort of dressing cause you pain, discomfort, and breathlessness? Can you manage it but it takes you a long time or you have to keep stopping to rest? Does it exhaust you? Can you bend to put on tights, trousers, shoes, socks? Can you fasten buttons? Do you need motivating to dress yourself? Do you feel there is no point because you have no interest in your appearance, or it takes too much effort and you are not going out anywhere? Would you spend all day in your dressing gown without motivation?

Does a visual problem make it difficult to choose appropriate colours, see if your clothes are clean, see if your make up is on properly? How do you manage your jewellery?

•

Moving about in your home and getting to and from the toilet: Consider what it is like for you getting up from a sofa after you have been sitting for a while; are you stiff and is it painful for you to stand up? Are you unsteady, have you fallen back in the chair or fallen on the ground? Do you have problems with balance when walking around, have you stumbled or fallen? Do you have problems getting up and down stairs? Are you safe on the stairs? Do you feel dizzy or unsteady on your feet? Can you get to the toilet safely? Do you have problems sitting down and rising from the toilet? Can you wipe and clean yourself after using the toilet? Do you suffer from incontinence? Do you have problems moving around or using the toilet because of a visual impairment?

•

Taking medication: Do you forget to take it or forget that you have taken it? Do you need reminding or persuading to take it? Can you manage to get the tops of medicine bottles or tablets out of foil cases? Can you see the tablets that you need to take?

•

Eating and Drinking: Do you need the food cut up because of weakness in your hands/wrists? Can you see the food on your plate? Do you need to be encouraged to eat, would you not bother if left to your own devices? Do you spill your food, or not notice that you have?

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•

Communicating: Do you have problems communicating with people because of a hearing or visual or speech impairment or for any other reason?

Describe what these problems are and give examples.

Do you need watching over for any of the following reasons?

• Are you prone to falls and/or at risk of falling?

• Do you suffer from fits or blackouts which may result in an injury to you when they happen?

• Are you vulnerable because of a mental health problem such as Alzheimer’s disease or a learning disability or have confusion and need someone with you to keep you safe in your home? Do you forget to lock doors at night and turn of appliances after you have used them?

• Are you at risk of harming yourself due to a depressive illness? Are you at risk of causing injury to others or creating potentially dangerous situations because of your illness?

How much will I get?

It is paid at two rates; the lower rate is for those who need help with personal care throughout the course of the whole day or someone to keep an eye on them throughout the night; and the higher rate is for those who need help or someone to keep an eye on them throughout the day and also at night.

An award of Attendance Allowance could mean that you become entitled to Pension Credit and Housing and Council Tax Benefit for the first time or it could increase the amount you already get.

DISABILITY LIVING ALLOWANCE Disability Living Allowance (DLA) has been replaced with a benefit called Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and all new claimants of working age must now apply for PIP Disability Living Allowance will continue for those: 1. Who were 65 as at the 8th April 2013 provided they continue to meet the criteria for an award of this benefit.

2. Children under the age of 16 If you are in the above group and your care and mobility needs deteriorate, you should notify the Unit who will look again at your award of Disability Living Allowance; as previously if you were not already in receipt of either the lower rate of the care component or the mobility component, they cannot take these rates into account when they are looking again at your claim. However if you are already in receipt of these rates and you have been sent a renewal claim for Disability Living Allowance, your components at these rates can be renewed.

BUT if you are already in receipt of Disability Living Allowance and were not 65 as at the 8th April 2013 and there is a change in your care and mobility needs, you will NOT be reassessed for Disability Living Allowance but will be invited and assessed for Personal Independence Payments instead.

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Claimants aged 16 – 64 (as at the 8th April 2013) will be invited to claim Personal Independence Payment when their current award for DLA expires and from 2015 will be invited to claim at random.

You will be given 4 weeks to respond to an invite to claim Personal Independence Payments; if you do not contact them within this four week period, your award of DLA will be suspended and terminated if you fail to claim Personal Independence Payment within 8 weeks. Once your award of DLA is terminated you will not be able to get it reinstated and will either have to apply for PIP or AA (if you are now over the age of 65).

If you do respond to the invite your award of DLA will continue in payment until a decision has been made on your PIP claim.

If you are now over the age of 65 but have been invited to claim PIP because you were under 65 as at the 8th April 2013, in these circumstances they can take into account the mobility descriptors when assessing your for an award of PIP even though you may not have been in receipt of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance.

PERSONAL INDEPENDENCE PAYMENTS (PIP) If you are under 65 you cannot claim Attendance Allowance and if you are not already in receipt of Disability Living Allowance, the benefit you must claim is Personal Independence Payments (PIP) if you have an illness or disability.

What are Personal Independence Payments?

PIP is a non taxable, non-means tested benefit payable on top of other benefits. It is designed to help towards the extra costs of disability or long term disabling health conditions. It is payable to people both in and out of work. Like Attendance Allowance it is ignored as income when calculating entitlement to other means tested benefits and can actually increase entitlement or bring you into entitlement to means tested benefits for the first time. PIP is made up of two components; Daily Living and Mobility and both components have two rates: Standard and Enhanced Basic Conditions: • You must be of working age when you first claimed (16 to 64, the upper age limit will increase above 65 in line with pensionable age from 2018) • You must satisfy the daily living and/or mobility tests for the qualifying period • You must pass the residence and presence tests • Your difficulties due to disability/illness must have been present for the past 3 months and be expected to last for the next 9 months.

Activities and Descriptors PIP is made up of two components and both components have two rates. Qualifying for PIP is dependent on scoring sufficient points in a list of descriptors in 10 daily living activities and/or 2 mobility activities. You can only score once in each activity. You must score at least the following points in order to qualify for that particular rate of the benefit: Daily Living: Standard Rate: Points: 8

Enhanced Rate: Points: 12

Mobility:

Enhanced Rate: Points: 12

Standard Rate: Points: 8

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Majority of the Time: For a descriptor to apply it should affect you for over 50% of the days in the qualifying period, if more than 1 applies you should be awarded the higher points; if no descriptor in the activity applies for 50% of the time but two or more combined would be over 50% you should be awarded the descriptor that applies on the most days.

Aids and Appliances: All the daily living and mobility descriptors are considered on the basis of you wearing or using any aid or appliance, including artificial limbs, you either normally use or could reasonably be expected to use.

Night-time Care Needs: Although it is defined as daily living activities, the government have stated this will look at needs over a 24 hour period and that therefore night-time needs are taken into account so you must ensure your night time needs are explained.

How do I claim Personal Independence Payments?

Phone the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to make a new Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claim if you’re in Great Britain.

DWP - Personal Independence Payment claims Mon to Fri, 8am to 6pm Telephone: 0800 917 2222 (free phone) Text phone: 0800 917 7777 ( free phone) You’ll be asked for information like: • contact details and date of birth • National Insurance number • bank or building society details • doctor’s or health worker’s name • details of any time you’ve spent abroad or in a care home or hospital Someone else can call on your behalf, but you’ll need to be with them when they call. You can also write asking for a form to send the above information by post (this can delay the decision on your claim).

Personal Independence Payment New Claims Post Handling Site B Wolverhampton WV99 1AH What will happen next?

A PIP 2 form asking how your disabilities affect you will then be sent and this information along with any further evidence supplied will be given to a healthcare profession employed by a DWP contract (in Wales the contract is with Capita) and from this they will decide if a ‘face-to-face assessment is required. It is important to provide as much evidence as you can at this stage.

Face to Face Consultation: A healthcare professional will assess which of the ‘daily living’ and ‘mobility’ descriptors apply. You can take someone with you to this assessment.

Capita who will be responsible for arranging the assessments in Wales have said that a large number of the consultations will take place in the claimant’s home.

Failure to Provide Evidence or Attend Consultation: If you fail to provide any information or evidence request or do not attend and participate in an consultation without ‘good reason’, you will be found not to qualify for PIP and the claim will be refused or end.

7 days notice in writing will be given before having to attend a consultation unless you agree to a shorter period of notice.

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The PIP claim form differs from the one for Attendance Allowance and is more difficult to complete It is advisable to seek assistance from one of the Advice Agencies listed at the back of this leaflet.

Special Rules If you are considered to be terminally ill or have an illness Your claim for Attendance Allowance; Supersession request of DLA and PIP can be dealt with more quickly. You or someone acting on your behalf can phone the DWP to start your claim / supersession request and then send them form DS1500 (you can only get this form from a doctor or other healthcare professional). You will not need to complete the details on the form asking about your care needs or daily living needs, but you will need to satisfy the descriptors for the mobility component for PIP.

CARER’S ALLOWANCE Carer’s Allowance can be paid to you if you look after someone for 35 hours or more each week who receives Attendance Allowance or Personal Independence Payments daily living rate, or the middle or higher rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance. You do not need to be living with, or related to the person you are caring for and you are allowed to work as long as your earnings are below a certain level. ‘Care’ has not been defined so just by being with someone to ensure that they are safe, or keeping someone company can be included.

Carer’s Allowance is an ‘overlapping benefit’ this means that if you are already in receipt of certain benefits (State Retirement Pension being one of them) you cannot be paid Carer’s Allowance. You can qualify for what is known as an ‘underlying entitlement’ and this underlying entitlement can increase your entitlement or entitle you to means-tested benefits for the first time.

E.g.: Mr and Mrs B are both in receipt of State Retirement Pension and have both been awarded Attendance Allowance. They can both claim Carer’s Allowance for looking after each other, but it wouldn’t be paid as they are both in receipt of State Retirement Pensions, however, by claiming Carer’s Allowance it increases their entitlement to Pension Credit by entitling them to 2 additional awards of Carers Premium.

PLEASE NOTE that a claim for Carer’s Allowance could have an adverse affect on the benefits of the person you are caring for and you should always seek advice before making a claim.

How do I claim Carer’s Allowance?

A claim for Carers Allowance can be made on form DS700 or on DS700(SP) if you are in receipt of a State Pension. You can obtain claim forms from: • • •

The Pension Service Tel: (free phone) 0800 731 7898 (Monday – Friday 8am – 6pm), or Text phone: 0800 731 7339.

Carers Allowance Unit Tel: 0845 608 4321 Text phone 0845 6045 312 (calls charged at 1p – 10.5p per minute from landlines and 12p – 41p per minute from mobiles) You can download one from the Department for Work and Pensions website or make an online claim from www.gov.uk/carersallowance/

THE SOCIAL FUND There are two types of payments either discretionary payment or regulated payment. A discretionary payment is where there is no legal entitlement to an award and now only 18

consists of budgeting loans. The regulated Social Fund covers Cold Weather Payments (as above); Sure Start Maternity Payments and Funeral Expenses Payments.

Budgeting Loans These are interest free loans which are intended to help people with intermittent expenses.

You or your partner must be in receipt of a means tested benefit such as Pension Credit, Income Support, Income Related ESA and Income Based Jobseekers Allowance and been in receipt of this throughout the preceding 26 weeks prior to your claim.

Budgeting Loans will be replaced with Budgeting Advances for all Universal Credit recipients as this benefit is gradually introduced.

How do I make a claim?

These claims are administered by the Department for Work and Pensions and you need to ring the Benefit Delivery Centre for your area. In Swansea, this is Wrexham on 0845 600 3016.

Funeral Expenses Payment To qualify for a funeral expenses payment you must be the ‘eligible person’ and accept responsibility for the funeral. An ‘eligible person’ is clearly defined and there is a pecking order of eligibility. For example, the partner of the deceased person would normally be the ‘eligible person’ and take responsibility for the funeral above any other person.

The payment only covers certain costs and expenses of the funeral and there is generally a very large shortfall. To qualify for a payment you have to be in receipt of a mean-tested benefit.

How and when can I claim a Funeral Expenses Payment?

To make a claim you can request a form SF200 from the DWP Bereavement Service Tel: 0845 606 0265, text phone: 0845 606 0285. Alternatively you can obtain a claim form from your local Jobcentre plus or download it from: www.gov.uk/government You must make a claim within 3 months of the funeral date.

From April 2013 Community Care Grants and Crisis were removed from the Discretionary Social Fund and have been replaced with the Discretionary Assistance Fund.

Responsibility for this fund has been devolved to the Welsh Government and is administered by Northgate Public Services who process claims and reviews.

The Discretionary Assistance Fund contains two types of payments; these payments are grants and not loans; Eligibility for an award of one of these payments is similar to the criteria for the former Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans.

Individual Assistance Payments These payments have replaced Community Care Grants; to qualify for one of these payments you must be in receipt of a qualifying benefit – Income Support; Income Based Jobseekers Allowance; Income Related Employment and Support Allowance and Guarantee Credit of Pension Credit. These payments mostly provide goods and services as opposed to cash payments.

An award of a payment must meet an urgent identified need that enables or supports people to establish themselves in or remain living independently in the community. This could be because: •

they are setting up in the community after a period in care 19

• • • • •

want to remain in the community rather than entering care are taking part in a planned resettlement programme after an unsettled way of life are a family facing exceptional pressure are caring for a prisoner or young offender on temporary release need help with one-off short term travelling expenses when deemed essential to support you to continue to live independently in the community.

Emergency Assistance Payments These payments have replaced Crisis Loans and are available to anyone regardless of benefit entitlement providing that the payment will provide assistance in an emergency or a disaster where there is an immediate threat to health or wellbeing.

Similar to Crisis Loans these emergency assistance payments will be limited to a maximum of three in a rolling twelve month period. Awards are made available to you through PayPoint or BACS transfer.

How do I make a claim?

Claims can be made online - http://moneymadeclearwales.org; by telephone 0800 859 5924 (free from landlines) 033 0101 5000 (local charges will apply) or by postal application.

The aim is to have claims for Individual Assistance Payments processed within 14 days and claims for Emergency Assistance Payments to be processed within 24 hours.

Short Term Advances (payment of benefit) You can make an application for a short term advance providing that you are in receipt of any contributory or income related social security benefit. These advances have to be repaid – usually within 3 months, but this can be extended to 6 months in exceptional circumstances. You will have to demonstrate that you are in financial need and meet a set of prescribed circumstances: • • •

Whilst your claim for benefit is being processed; To cover a longer period than payment for benefit is for (e.g. receive one weeks payment which needs to cover 2 weeks) Where it is impractical for benefit to be paid on the due date (e.g. technical problems in processing the claim or payment)

How do I claim?

You will need to contact the relevant benefit office that is processing your benefit claim.

CHALLENGING DECISIONS Most decisions on benefit entitlement can be challenged For DWP benefits like Pension Credit; Income Support; Employment and Support Allowance; Jobseeker’s Allowance; Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payment you will normally have to request a revision or reconsideration by the office that made the decision before you can request an appeal to an independent tribunal.

This is being called ‘Mandatory reconsideration’. It is a review carried out by the same department who made the original decision.

This new rule applies to all decisions on these benefits made after 28th October 2013.

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This means it is no longer possible to appeal to an independent tribunal straight away, unless you are challenging a decision made before that date or you are challenging a Housing Benefit decision.

Only once the DWP have considered the request for revision can you appeal direct to Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service if you are still unhappy with the outcome.

How do I deal with the challenge process?

• Revision of a decision (or ‘mandatory reconsideration’) should be requested within a month, it can be requested up to 13 months late in certain cases or in some cases ‘at any time’ – GET ADVICE • You can then appeal within a month of the mandatory reconsideration decision or up to 13 months late if you are still unhappy with the decision • You must send the ‘mandatory reconsideration’ notice which will be sent to you.

Send this with your request for appeal to an independent tribunal. There is a new appeal form to use, or appeals can be made in a letter as long as all the information is given.

It is always advisable to seek help with challenging decisions.

DEPARTMENT OF WORK AND PENSIONS (DWP) CONTACT DETAILS The Pension Service: Mon – Fri 8am – 6pm Administer benefits for those over women’s pensionable age and over.

Website: www.direct.gov.uk for online information including state pension age calculator.

Tel: 0800 991234 (Free phone) or 0845 6060265 ( charged at local rate) Postal address: Pension Service 8, Post Handling Site B, Wolverhampton, WV99 1AN Disability Benefits helpline: Mon to Fri, 8am to 6pm This service provides information about Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) as well as providing advice on how to make a claim.

Website: www.gov.uk/disability-benefits-helpline Email: dcpu.customer-services@dwp.gsi.gov.uk (if you’re 16 or over) Midlands-dbc-customer-services@dwp.gsi.gov.uk (if you’re under 16) Tel: 08457123456 or Text phone: 08457722 4433 Attendance Allowance helpline: Mon – Fri 8am – 6pm To make a new claim or for all enquiries relating to existing claims Email:attendance.allowanceenquiries@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

Tel: 0345 606 6055 or Text phone: 0845 604 5312 Postal address: Attendance Allowance Service Centre, Warbreck House Warbreck Hill, Blackpool, Lancashire FY2 0YE

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Disability Living Allowance: Mon – Fri 8am – 6pm For all enquiries relating to an existing claim Tel: 08457 123 456 or Text phone: 08457 601 6677 Postal address for DLA Adult (Aged 16 and over): Disability benefits centre Warbreck House Warbreck Hill Blackpool Lancashire FY2 0YE Personal Independence Payment (PIP) helpline: Mon to Fri, 8am to 6pm Tel: 0845 850 3322 or Textphone: 0845 601 6677 Personal Independence Payment claims: Mon to Fri, 8am to 6pm Telephone: 0800 917 2222 or Textphone: 0800 917 7777 Postal address for claims and all enquiries: Freepost RTEU-HGTR-JXZX Personal Independence Payments 2 Mail Handling Site A Wolverhampton WV98 1AB Carer’s Allowance Unit: Mon to Thurs 8.30am – 5pm, Fri 8.30am -4.30pm Administer benefit claims for Carer’s Allowance.

Tel: 0845 608 4321 or Textphone: 0845 6045 312 Postal address for claims and all enquiries: Palatine House, Lancaster Road, Preston, PR1 1HB

OTHER HELP: USEFUL AGENCIES Agencies that can provide help and advice: Age Cymru Swansea Bay: Sun Alliance House, 166/167 St Helen’s Road, Swansea; Provide free benefits advice for those aged 50 or over including help for both working age and pension age people to check that you are claiming all that you are entitled to and help with filling in claim forms. They do not provide representation at benefit appeals, but can advise on challenging decisions and advise on the appeals procedure.

Other advice and information, including housing, insurance, help to reduce cost of energy bills and information on aids and adaptations is offered. Also a wide range of services, including support for people who feel lonely or isolated, support for people being discharged from hospital, practical assistance with small jobs and cleaning in your home, to name just a few. There is a charge for some services.

Tel: 01792 648 866 to ask advice or find out more about their services, or call in to see them at their centre Monday to Friday – 9.30am – 4.00pm. You can also e-mail enquiries to enquiries@agecymruswanseabay.org.uk

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British Red Cross: Villiers House, Charter Court, Phoenix Way, Swansea Enterprise Park, Swansea: Tel: 01792 772146 Provides help to remain independent in your own home; benefits and debt advice; disability aids and grants for home adaption’s; liaising with utilities; liaising with Social Services or Health Workers on your behalf; helping you to understand official letters and gives emotional support at times of crisis.

Swansea Carer’s Centre: 104, Mansel Street, Swansea: Tel: 01792 653344 Provide free benefit advice including benefit checks, form filling and appeal representation as well as services for carer’s and people with disabilities they look after.

Email enquiries to: admin@swanseacarerscentre.org.uk Telephone Advice: Monday – Friday – 9.00 am – 4.30 pm Call in: Monday – Friday – 11.00 am – 4.00 pm Where necessary home visits can be arranged for people unable to attend an appointment for health reasons.

Citizens Advice Bureau: Llys Glas, Pleasant Street, Swansea; Provide a full range of free advice on benefits, debt, housing, employment, consumer etc; Telephone Advice:

Tel: 08444 77 20 20 Monday - Friday – 10.00am – 4pm

Drop in:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 9am-4pm Wednesday - 9pm-1pm and 4pm – 7pm Fforestfach Medical Centre – Monday 1.30pm4.30pm (Patients only) Clydach Primary Care Centre – Monday 9am12.30am (Drop in only) Ty Einon Day Centre – Friday 9am-12pm (Mental Health service users only).

Outreach:

Outreach advice sessions are also offered in the four Communities First cluster areas in various venues throughout the Swansea area. For further information about these sessions or to book an appointment please call the CAB office on 01792 474882.

Online referrals can be received from: your local Councillor; MP; certain Local Authority Staff; Housing Association’ Tenancy Support Workers.

Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB): Has a welfare rights service that is available to blind and partially sighted people to claim the benefits that they are entitled to. They help with completing forms, challenging decisions and representing you at appeals. They cover Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.

Contact Kelly Watkins Tel: 01792 325304 or e-mail: RNIBCymruWRT@rnib.org.uk

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Cyrenians Resource Centre: Rear of St Matthews Church, High Street, Swansea: Tel: 01792 470127 Open access for those aged 18+ who are socially disadvantaged, on a low income or on benefits. Young Person Day – need to ring centre for more information. Free advice and support including: housing, debt, benefits, substance misuse, medical support and counselling. Shower, laundry and IT facilities are also available and a subsidised café.

Provide basic benefits advice including help to fill in a claim form and with telephone calls to resolve benefit problems.

Call in:

Monday: 9.30am – 1.30pm Tuesday – Friday: 9.00am – 1.30pm

Disability Law Service: Provide free specialist initial legal advice and information for disabled people, their families and carers: The areas of law covered are, Community Care, Disability Discrimination in the provision of goods and services, Employment and Welfare Benefits. A Multiple Sclerosis legal officer is also available.

Advice is by telephone or e-mail only. Cases are only taken on an ongoing basis for people who qualify for legal aid or legal help.

Benefits fact sheets available.

Tel: 020 7791 9800; Minicom: 020 7791 9801 Mon– Fri 10am – 5pm Shelter Cymru: 25 Walter Road, Swansea;.

Provide specialist housing advice, including benefits advice relating to housing issues.

Telephone advice: 0845 075 5005 Appointments: Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri 10am – 12pm Debt advice: free debt advice providing help to stop repossessions, bailiffs and court action, deal with creditors and debts, organise your finances and budget for the future.

Appointments are offered in various venues throughout the Swansea area. For further information about these sessions or to book an appointment contact: Email: money advice@sheltercymru.org.uk Tel: 0845 075 5005 and ask for Debt Advice Tenancy Support Unit (TSU): 71 Creswell Road, Clase, Swansea; Provide support to those who have tenancy related problems, including benefit advice.

Tel: 01792 774360/774320 Ty Arian Solicitors: Floor 10, 1 Alexandra Road, Swansea SA1 5ED Limited benefits advice on Upper Tribunal Cases only for those who qualify for legal aid.

Appointments can be made by telephone.

Tel: 01792 484200 Civil Legal Advice) Provide free legal advice for benefits, debt, housing, family, education, discrimination and employment problems to people on low incomes who qualify for legal aid through the Community Legal Advice telephone helpline.

A financial assessment is done on the telephone, and if you do not qualify you will be signposted to an organisation that can help you.

Tel: 0845 345 4345:

Monday – Friday 9.00am – 8.00pm Saturday - 9.00am – 12.30pm 24

Maggie’s Centre: Singleton Hospital, Sketty Lane, Swansea SA2 8QL. The service offers benefits advice to people with cancer and their families. Please phone or look on the website to check when benefits advice is available Tel: 01792 200000 Email: Swansea@maggiescentres.org. Open Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm. .’

Transport: Car Badge (Blue Badge): If you have problems/difficulties with walking or find walking causes you pain or discomfort you may qualify for a car badge. You may also qualify if you are registered blind or have an adapted vehicle due to severe upper limb disabilities. You do not have to be in receipt of the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance or the certain descriptors of the Mobility component for Personal Independence Payments but if you are, you will automatically qualify for a car badge. Application forms can be obtained from the Local Authority at the Contact Centre in the Civic Centre or downloaded from their internet site at: www.swansea.gov.uk Or contact Tel: 01792 637366 Bus Pass: Provides concessionary travel for the elderly and some disabled people. If you are aged sixty and over, or any age with certain disabilities and are permanent residents of the City and County of Swansea you will qualify for a bus pass. Bus passes are issued free of charge and allow free travel on all registered local bus services in Wales without restriction. Application forms can be obtained from the Local Authority (as above) or post offices.

Rail Travel: If you have a disability that makes travelling by train difficult you might qualify for a Disabled Persons Railcard. This railcard allows you and your adult travelling companion a 1/3 off most rail fares.

Arrangements can be made for staff to meet you at your departure station, accompany you to the train and see you safely on board. Similar arrangements can be made at your destination station and other stations.

Alternatively Senior Railcards are available to people over the age of 60 for a fee of £30 per year or £70 for 3 years which provides 1/3 discount on most fares.

You can apply for these cards : Online at: www.railcard.co.uk

By Telephone: 0844 871 4036 (0700-2200 every day, except Christmas Day.) Or at any staffed ticket office Motability Taxis/Community Transport: Provide essential transport for older and disabled people. There may be a charge for this service. Some of the schemes have wheelchair accessible cars.

Gorseinon 01792 899933 Gower 01792 851942 Pontarddulais 01792 884944 Swansea 01792 463675 www.dansa.org.uk Motability Scheme: Helps people get mobile by exchanging their mobility allowance to lease a car, scooter or powered wheelchair To be able to access this scheme you must have at least 12 months entitlement to the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance, Enhanced Rate of Personal Independence Payment, War Pensioner’s Mobility Supplement or Armed Forces Independence Payment. The Disability 25

Contact and Processing Unit will make payment directly to motability. For further information contact: Website: www.motability.co.uk Tel: 0300 456 4566 8.30am -5.30pm Monday to Friday Swansea Mobility Hire (previously Shopmobility): Lends electrically powered scooters and wheelchairs to help people with walking difficulties to do their shopping more easily.

There is a small annual charge to join the scheme and a minimal charge each time you use the scheme. A daily visitor’s rate is also available. You need to book equipment 2 days in advance.

To register contact Swansea Mobility Hire You will need two forms of ID with your name and address on.

Swansea Mobility Hire Swansea City Bus Station Plymouth Street Swansea SA1 3AR Telephone: 01792 461785 Fax 01792 467614 E-mail – swanseamobilityhire@swanseacitycentre.com Wheelchairs, crutches, Zimmer frames and scooters: For long term needs your doctor can arrange for you to have one free. However, the British Red Cross provide short term loans of wheelchairs. Age Cymru Swansea Bay can provide advice on where you can obtain a wheelchair, including where you can hire one. Contact details for these organisations are available in the previous section.

Household matters: Assisted Refuse Collection: If you find it difficult to put your rubbish out for kerbside collection, and there are no able bodied persons living with you, you can apply for assisted refuse collection where a more suitable location will be identified for you to place your rubbish/recycling bags. To access this service contact the Environment Department for a copy of the Assisted Collection application form. This will need to be signed and stamped by your Doctor.

Tel: 01792 636000 Odd jobs and gardening: A variety of agencies provide ‘home services’ that can assist people who have outstanding jobs around their home and in some circumstances grants may be available to assist with the costs. To find out more about home services, contact Age Cymru or Care and Repair, listed in this booklet.

Care and Repair: Is a voluntary sector independent home improvement agency for older and disabled people and their carers. The service provides people with a range of support for their housing problems. This includes guiding clients through the housing grants process and providing a handyperson service that can react positively to the small repairs and minor adaptation needs of older and disabled people in Swansea.

Tel: 01792 79859 Mon – Thurs 8am – 3.30pm and Fri 8am - 3pm Email: enquiries@swanseacareandrepair.co.uk 26

Housing Options: Provide general housing advice, assessment of applications for council housing and council tenant transfers and maintenance of the council housing needs register. If you are at risk of losing your accommodation, contact Housing Options for help.

Address:17 High Street, Swansea; Call in: Mon – Thurs – 10.00am – 4.30 pm Fri 10am – 4pm Tel: 01792 533100

FINANCIAL: Credit Unions Are co-operative financial institutions, owned and controlled by local people. They are regulated and checked just as banks are and have no external shareholders returning all profits to their members instead. They provide safe, secure saving accounts and low-cost loans with free life insurance included. For further information: Call In: 139 Walter Road Swansea SA1 5RQ. Mon to Fri 09:30 to 14:30 Telephone: 01792 643632 Email: query@lasacreditunion.org.uk Disabled Facilities Grants: Are designed to help meet the cost of adapting a property for the needs of a disabled person. A means-test is applied to the person with the disabilities (requiring the grant) and their partner, if they have one. The means-test differs to other types of means-testing. Contact the council for further information on Disabled Facilities Grants: Telephone: 01792 635330 Carer’s Grants/Payments: If you are a carer, you have a right to a Carer’s Assessment which will be undertaken by Social Work Teams. If you are assessed as providing ‘substantial and regular’ care, the assessment will identify the impact and sustainability of your role and what additional services could be put in place to support you. Any extra cost/charges that could be incurred due to the services/support identified as being required could be funded by these payments.

There are also grants available for carer’s which differ from time to time, depending on funding. To find out what grants are available and what services there are for carers, contact the Carer’s Centre (listed above) Gas/Electricity: Most energy providers have to offer social tariffs to help their most vulnerable customers cope with the high costs of gas and electricity. All social tariffs must equal the suppliers’ cheapest deals. Speak to your energy supplier to see if you can be moved to a cheaper tariff.

Warm Home Discount Scheme: For winter 2014 to 2015, you could get a £140 discount on your electricity bill through the Warm Home Discount Scheme. The discount won’t affect your Cold Weather Payment or Winter Fuel Payment. To qualify your electricity supplier must be part of the scheme and your name (or your partner’s) must be on the bill.

In addition on the qualifying date you (or your partner) must be receiving the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit (even if you get Savings Credit as well) Some suppliers can offer the discount to vulnerable people (e.g. those on a low income).

Each supplier has their own rules about who else can get this help. Check with your supplier if you meet their rules for help and how to apply for it. For more information contact:https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme/eligibility

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Nest: Nest is the Welsh Government’s flagship scheme to tackle fuel poverty across Wales. They can provide free impartial advice on energy saving as well as undertaking a check to ensure that you’re on the best fuel tariff for you. They can also provide advice on money management and benefit entitlement to boost your income. You may also be eligible to receive home improvements at no cost to you, to help make your home warmer and reduce the cost of your energy bills. For further advice contact:: Telephone: 0808 808 2244, Mon – Fri 9am to 7pm calls are free from a landline or mobile Email: http://www.nestwales.org.uk Free loft and cavity wall insulation grants: If you are over 70 or on pension credit you may qualify for this, regardless of who your energy provider is with. The schemes are either for private homeowners or private tenants with the landlord’s permission, but not for council or housing association tenants. See the website: moneysavingexpert.com for details of these and other offers Welsh Water Assist: If you are in receipt of a means tested benefit and you have 3 or more children under the age of 19, living at your house who you claim Child Benefit, or a family member with a medical condition that requires the use of a significant amount of extra water, you may qualify for reduced charges through Welsh Water Assist. This is back datable to April 1st of the year in which the reduction is applied for. For example the capped rate for 1st April 2014 - 1st April 2015 is £262. For more information or to make an application contact: Tel: 0800 052 0145 Mon – Fri 8.00am-8.00pm; Sat 8.00am – 1.30 pm Email:www.dwr.cymru.com and follow links for household customers and Welsh Water Assist to download an application form.

TV Licence: When you reach the age of 75 you can apply online at the TV licensing website for a free over 75 TV Licence. You are also entitled to a 50% fee reduction if you or someone living in your home are blind or partially sighted. For further information or to make an application: Website: www.tvlicensing.co.uk Tel: 0300 790 6131 Mon to Fri - 8:30 am to 18:30pm Sat - 8:30am to13:00pm Insurance: If you have medical problems or over a certain age you may find it difficult to secure insurance, especially holiday insurance. Age Cymru provides information on all types of insurance.

Store Discounts: Several stores operate a discount scheme if you are aged over sixty, such as Boots the Chemist. Other stores provide discount to those aged sixty or over if you shop on certain days of the week.

Swansea City centre Loyalty card Scheme: Provides discounts of up to 25% at more than 100 businesses across Swansea City Centre. For further information or to make an application: Website: www.swanseacitycentre.com/shopping/loyalty-card/ Or call in to: 67 Plymouth Street, Swansea SA1 3QG Telephone: (01792) 476370 The Plus One Scheme: Improves access to leisure and recreational services within the Swansea area by offering a discount or free pass for carers of disabled customers.

Eligibility is based on you receiving a specified disability benefit which includes Adult and Child DLA, PIP, Attendance Allowance, Armed Forces Independence Payments, War 28

Pensioners Mobility Supplement or a Certificate of Visual Impairment. For more information on how to apply: Telephone: 01792 635463 Email: Plusone@swansea.gov.uk Website: www.swansea.gov.uk/plusone Passport to Leisure: This is a City and County of Swansea discount scheme for residents who are on a low income. Discounts on a wide range of sports and leisure venues are provided throughout the Authority, along with various discounts in private companies. To be eligible you must be a Swansea resident and in receipt of certain benefits. For more information on the scheme and find out how to apply: Telephone: 01792 635473 Email: www.ptlswansea.com Website: www.swansea.gov.uk/passport to leisure Free swimming is also available to those aged 60 and over within the City and County of Swansea

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