1 / 10

Welfare Reform What it means for people with disabilities Mark Willis, CPAG in Scotland

Welfare Reform What it means for people with disabilities Mark Willis, CPAG in Scotland. Susie. October 2011. Age 30, learning disability and epilepsy Incapacity Benefit Doing permitted work of 15 hours a week in supported employment, earning £91.20 a week

kareem-sellers
Download Presentation

Welfare Reform What it means for people with disabilities Mark Willis, CPAG in Scotland

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Welfare ReformWhat it means for people with disabilitiesMark Willis, CPAG in Scotland

  2. Susie October 2011 • Age 30, learning disability and epilepsy • Incapacity Benefit • Doing permitted work of 15 hours a week in supported employment, earning £91.20 a week • Lives alone in private rented one-bedroom flat, (£90 a week rent) • Gets Disability Living Allowance (DLA) at the low rate for mobility (£19.55 a week) • Gets housing benefit and council tax benefit

  3. Housing benefit January 2012 • Young individuals under 35 no longer eligible for HB for one-bedroom property in private sector • Amount restricted to room in shared accommodation • Susie must pay additional £25 a week towards her rent • Apply for Discretionary Housing Payment? • Move to cheaper accommodation or look for room in shared house – suitable? • Apply for housing association property?

  4. Employment & Support Allowance (ESA) March 2012 • Must complete 21 page questionnaire • Called to attend medical with ATOS healthcare professional • Found not to have limited capability for work – incapacity benefit stops • Appeal? - needs advice, representation & medical evidence from GP • Claim ESA pending appeal? – need new medical certificate from GP • Effect on HB/CTB

  5. Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) June 2012 • Loses ESA appeal • Can claim income-related JSA to top up income • Must sign on as available for and actively seeking full-time work • Disability Employment Adviser / Work Programme support • May be sanctioned for failing to apply for jobs / failing to take up employment • Loses 100% of JSA after £20 disregard

  6. Working tax credit (WTC) October 2012 • Increase hours to more than 16 hours a week, claim WTC as a disabled worker • Starts to receive approx. £90 a week • Must complete annual declaration of income, check award notice, report errors/changes • Investigation into hours/disability – risk of overpayment • Effect on HB/CTB

  7. Personal Independence Payment (PIP) June 2013 • Must complete questionnaire and attend medical • Not entitled to PIP – DLA stops • Appeal? • Loses working tax credit • Loses disability premium in HB/CTB • Only income is wages of £99.04 a week, of which must pay £43 towards rent and council tax • Lost approx. £150 a week since October 2011

  8. Universal credit October 2013 • Simpler? – claim one benefit instead of HB/ESA/JSA/WTC • Claim online – needs support • Must look for more work – up to 35 hours @ minimum wage • Earnings disregard approx £30 a week earnings as a single person • 65% withdrawal rate • One single payment of £393 per month – needs budgeting support

  9. Universal credit November 2013 • Condition deteriorates • Reassessed as having limited capability for work • Additional £26.75 payable • Higher earnings disregard approx £40 a week as a disabled person • Payment increases to approx. £547 per month • Not as much as under permitted work rules in system

  10. More Information www.cpag.org.uk E-bulletins Guide to universal credit Welfare Rights Bulletin CPAG in Scotland Advice Line for Advisers 0141 552 0552 Or email advice@cpagscotland.org.uk

More Related