Welcome to this week’s E News on the Citizens Advice Dorset website. Just a reminder that the Advice Dorset Partnership is a network of organisations providing advice and support to residents of Dorset and Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole. It is managed by Citizens Advice and is open to any organisation which provides information, advice and support/guidance to local residents.
The Advice Dorset Partnership E news is published fortnightly on a Thursday, BUT if there is something urgent in-between we will send out a short supplementary edition.
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Job opportunities
KUSHTI BOK are recruiting for a Coordinator, 15 hours/week over 2 or 3 days. Role purpose: To ensure that Kushti Bok operates effectively and efficiently as both a provider of services and an employer. Reporting to : Kushti Bok Chief Officer. Salary 28K pro rata. Job and person spec and application form on request.from [email protected] or tel 07557127559. CLOSING DATE Monday 9th September 2024. Read more here.
Information updates
COST OF LIVING
Energy Price cap: Ofgem has announced the energy price cap for the next period – 1 October to 31 December 2024. This means that from 1 October 2024 a household with a typical consumption on dual electricity and gas will pay:
- £1,717 a year if they pay by direct debit
- £1,829 if they pay by standard credit (on receipt of their bill)
- £1,669 if they have a prepayment meter
Prices are worked out per unit of energy used. If consumers use more they will pay more. The exact rate and standing charge will depend on the region where the consumer lives.
BENEFITS
Protecting entitlement to winter fuel payments: On 29 July 2024 changes to the eligibility for winter fuel payments (WFP) were announced. WFP will now only be paid to claimants in receipt of state pension credit (SPC). DWP statistics show more than 800,000 people who could claim SPC don’t claim this benefit. Pensioners who are not currently claiming SPC should be encouraged to check whether they are entitled to this and other pension age benefits (like housing benefit or council tax rebate). The qualifying week for this year’s WFP is 16 – 22 September 2024, but SPC can be backdated for up to 3 months.
Pension-age clients move from Tax Credits to Universal Credit/ Pension Credit: People of pension age currently receiving tax credits will be asked to claim either pension credit or universal credit (UC) from now. The DWP has confirmed that notices have gone out this month and that all relevant claims will be moved over by April 2025. See para 21 of the August LA Welfare Direct bulletin. There is also a govt guide for people of State Pension age who get a Migration Notice letter – here. This will be relevant, for example, for a couple where one is State Pension age and one is under State Pension age.
Council Tax Reduction/Support and managed migration: The difference in CTR (also called CT Support) schemes means those moving to UC may see council tax bills rise. This is likely to only impact a small number of people. The government has written to local authorities – here – encouraging them to offset this through discretionary discounts under s13A of the Local Government Finance Act. The letter also explains that local authorities won’t lose out on income by doing this, so should be persuasive in supporting s13A applications for your clients in this situation.
LEGAL
Small claims mediation: HMCTS have produced a podcast – here – on how the Small Claims Mediation Service is helping to resolve disputes without the potential stress of having to go to court.
HMCTS Vulnerability Action Plan update: HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has updated their Vulnerability Action Plan which sets out how they aim to make the court and tribunals system accessible for everyone. There are a number of provisions in the plan that specifically centre on the Family Court, such as a Digital Support Service, and a domestic abuse champion for each region. Read more here.
EMPLOYMENT
Migrant health and social care workers: See a further article on this topic in the Reports section. Meanwhile, Citizens Advice has useful information for those here with a Health and Care Worker visa, including,: losing your job, and problems with work.
CONSUMER
Digital phone switchover and analogue devices: The switchover from analogue to digital landlines can affect telecare device users such as fall monitors and home sensors. However, analogue telecare devices are still available to buy. Anyone selling analogue devices should be making consumers aware that the switchover is happening, and the impact the switchover will have on the analogue device they’re looking at. Clients who’ve bought analogue devices without this information should contact the Citizens Advice consumer service, who can:
- give advice on the fitness for purpose of the product
- share details of the seller’s business practice with trading standards
IMMIGRATION
Local info – monthly immigration clinic at Citizens Advice BCP: Next dates are 11 September, 9 October and 6 November, no session in December, then 8 January. See revised poster.
Copy of Immigration Clinic poster
Events
CAN – Introduction to Safeguarding Course: Monday 9th September, at Sturminster Newton, 10 – 2 (workshop including networking lunch). This is the third course that CAN are organising and its aimed at those who works with children, adults and vulnerable groups. It’s an awareness plus course (not certificated) for VCS groups. Read more here.
Suicide Prevention Training (level 2): Dorset’s Suicide Prevention Programme through Public Health Dorset run a free one-day online course in which participants learn the skills needed to help someone who may be expressing suicidal ideation. It also teaches the skills and knowledge needed to identify someone who may be thinking about suicide and competently intervene to help create suicide-safety as a first aid approach. The course is online 9am-5pm, with dates available between September 2024 to March 2025. If you want to promote this training to your teams, contact; Kelly Vaughan, Business Support Officer, 01305 224400, email: [email protected]
BCHA Learn: Various courses starting in September, covering a range of topics, some aimed at improving wellbeing, others to develop skills or gain qualifications. Read more here.
Home-Start Wessex is recruiting volunteers and has a training course coming up for family support volunteers to cover the Dorchester, Weymouth and Bridport areas. Below is a poster to display; read more here.
Space Youth Project Family Day: The Family Days are for young people and their families to come together, support each other and learn about different topics. The next one is Saturday 21 September and the topic for the session is ‘Intersectionality’ and will enable people to discuss how different aspects of their identities overlap. Places must be booked by 16th September via [email protected]. The location will then be shared.
Research, reports, open letters etc
National Association for Welfare Rights Advisers letter to Secretary of State: NAWRA has called for the proposed changes to Winter Fuel Payments to be put on hold until an opportunity for consultation has been provided and until the take-up rate for Pension Credit claims is 95%. Read the letter here.
Underclaiming by claimants subject to managed migration: DWP statistics show almost a third of claimants who have been sent a migration notice fail to claim Universal Credit (UC) by the final deadline. This low take-up rate is of particular concern given that the DWP is about to begin issuing notices to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and pension age tax credit claimants. Claimants subject to managed migration should be encouraged to claim UC even if they do not think they may be entitled to any benefit. Pension age claimants who have been entitled to tax credits should be encouraged to claim either pension credit or UC depending on their circumstances.
Migrant health and social care workers: Another article – this time in the Guardian – covers the exploitation and suffering of migrant health and social care workers.
Fixing the foundations – The need for better targeted support for energy consumers: Citizens Advice research has found 1 in 4 people are so worried about increases in energy costs this winter that they say they will be forced to turn off their heating and hot water. The new Government has inherited a challenging situation, but it is clear that more support is urgently needed. The most efficient way to provide this is to reform the Warm Home Discount, to ensure it reaches more households and provides support that is based on their energy needs. Read the new report here.
TUC report ‘Office workers at risk of being “cheated” out of minimum wage’: With each incremental rise of the NMW each April, we see the risk of breach of the NMW becoming apparent in more traditionally stable employment relationships, including salaried workers. This report also highlights employers’ expectations that salaried workers should carry out unpaid overtime, which depending on annual salary levels, will conflict with the requirement to ensure payment of at least at the rate of the NMW for all hours of work during a pay reference period. Read the report here.
Funding new
Hays Travel Foundation: This funding is intended for local groups which operate or have an impact in an area in which Hays Travel have a branch. To be eligible, organisations must be working to help young people (up to 25 years) in at least one of four areas, including physical activity and sport. Grants are available for up to £15,000. Read more here.