Transcript Money Advice Unit

Workshops for Children’s Centre Managers
Support available from the Money Advice Unit
(MAU) for families making the
transition into work
March 2013
www.hertsdirect.org
MONEY ADVICE UNIT
Who we are
What we
do…
www.hertsdirect.org
Who are we?
We are part of HCC’s Health and Community Services
(HCS) and work with all age groups in order to:
• Increase take-up of benefits and tax credits
• Provide economic wellbeing, through accurate advice
and information on benefits and debt to organisations in
Herts
• Advise on changes in social security and debt legislation
www.hertsdirect.org
What we do
• Benefit take-up and casework
• Advice - benefit and debt
• Information
• Training and talks
• Hertsdirect
• Policy advice
www.hertsdirect.org
Who do we help?
• HCC staff
• Health staff
• Voluntary organisations
• Statutory organisations
• Individuals
• CABs
www.hertsdirect.org
Support for families:
• Information directly accessible to the public – signpost to website
www.hertsdirect.org/benefits
• Adviceline - for professionals only (email or telephone)
• Training/ talks to professionals
• Talks to user groups
• Income maximisation projects (specific criteria)
• Not a frontline telephone/advice service for the public
www.hertsdirect.org
Information for families:
• Extra money for families booklet
• Family finance project
• Website for up to date information
• Factsheets
www.hertsdirect.org
www.hertsdirect.org
www.hertsdirect.org
Family Finance project
• Started December 2011
• Broxbourne and Stevenage
• Advice workers able to take on some benefits
and low level debt casework
• Targeted training for front line workers
www.hertsdirect.org
MAU Information
• Factsheets/leaflets e.g.
– Extra Money for Families
– Help with Household Bills
– Benefits for Carers
– Extra Money for Older People
– What to claim if you are ill or disabled
– In and Out of Work
– Benefit rates
• www.hertsdirect.org/benefits
• 01438 843456
www.hertsdirect.org
MAU Income Maximisation Projects
• HCS Project
• Carers Project
• Children with Disabilities Project
www.hertsdirect.org
MAU Income Maximisation Projects
Help to claim targeted benefits:
• Attendance Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance
• Carer’s Allowance
• Means-tested benefits e.g. Pension Credit
www.hertsdirect.org
HCS Project
Only available to older and disabled people referred by
HCS via ACSIS or Health staff by phone or email
Referrals accepted for under 60s receiving:
homecare, daycare, enablement or direct payments
We offer help with claiming:
• Disability Living Allowance
• Carers Allowance and
• Means-tested benefits
– and
www.hertsdirect.org
HCS Project
Over 60’s for help with claiming:
• Disability living allowance
• Attendance allowance
• Carers Allowance
www.hertsdirect.org
HCS Project
This project cannot help:
• under 60s who are not getting services; referred to
the CAB’s Disability Benefits Project for help with
DLA
• over 60s who need help with means tested benefits
only; referred to the Pension Service for help with
Pension Credit tel: 0800 99 1234
• over 60s who need help with DLA or attendance
allowance who are not referred by HCS or Health;
referred to the CAB’s Disability Benefits Project as
above
www.hertsdirect.org
Carers Project
For carers under 65, particularly those:
• Receiving a carers assessment from HCS/Health
• Referred from Carers in Herts
For help with claiming:
• Disability Living Allowance
• Carer’s Allowance
• Means-tested benefits
www.hertsdirect.org
Children with Disabilities project
For families of children who may be eligible for
help with claiming Disability Living Allowance
www.hertsdirect.org
How to make a referral
• Via ACSIS for all HCS staff
For Health staff
• Phone MAU on 01438 843456 or
• E mail [email protected]
www.hertsdirect.org
MAU Advice Line (staff only)
• Tel: 01438 843444
• Mon-Fri
• 9.30am-12.30pm
• E mail: [email protected]
www.hertsdirect.org
MAU Training and Talks
• Rolling programme of training or customised
sessions on
• Welfare benefits, debt, financial inclusion
• Talks to user groups, staff and volunteers
• Ring 01438 843456 or e-mail
[email protected]
www.hertsdirect.org