Welcome to this week’s E News on the Citizens Advice Dorset website. 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. However, if there is something urgent in-between we will send out a supplementary edition.
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If you would like to send anything out via the bulletin, and for all other enquiries about the Advice Dorset Partnership, contact Thomas Hensher at Citizens Advice Central Dorset: [email protected]
This will be the final ADP newsletter of 2025. The ADP team would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
BENEFITS
Automatic Extensions to Managed Migration Deadlines: The DWP has confirmed that claimants invited to claim Universal Credit (UC) with a deadline falling between 22 December 2025 and 3 January 2026 will receive an automatic four-week extension.
Claimants who qualify for this automatic extension should be sent a new migration notice that clearly specifies their new deadline date. Claimants can also contact the Universal Credit Migration Notice Helpline to check if their deadline has been automatically extended.
You can find contact details for the UC Migration Notice Helpline on GOV.UK.
Managed Payment to Landlords: Amended DWP guidance confirms that claimants can object if their landlord makes a request for a managed payment to landlord (MPtL). A MPtL is where housing costs can be paid directly to the landlord if it’s in the best interest of the claimant. Advisers should caution clients that if they object to a MPtL, their UC payments will be ‘paused’ until a decision is made about the objection.
You can read the amended MPtL guidance on GOV.UK
HOUSING
Guidance on Renters’ Rights Act 2025: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has produced guidance for landlords and letting agents about how the Renters Rights Act will change the laws about renting. The guidance includes sections on all the key parts of the new legislation including the process that a landlord will need to follow for serving a notice after 1 May 2026 as well as transitional arrangements for notices served before this date.
Homelessness Strategy: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has published a new homelessness strategy, a National Plan to End Homelessness. The strategy sets out the government’s long-term vision to end homelessness and rough sleeping, and includes an action plan for immediate, medium and long term change. Key points include:
- setting new targets to:
- halve long-term rough sleeping
- eliminate the use of Bed & Breakfast accommodation for families (other than short term emergency use)
- reduce homelessness from prisons, care settings and hospitals
- prevent homelessness for more households
- help more people into stable homes quickly
- launching a £124 million supported housing programme
- creating a new legal duty on public services to identify, act and collaborate to prevent and address homelessness
- building 1.5 million homes, including new social and affordable homes
- updating social housing allocations guidance to ensure social homes go to people who need them
- requiring local authorities to publish an action plan to accompany their homelessness strategy
You can find the National Plan to End Homelessness on GOV.UK.
FAMILY
Autumn Budget 2026: The Autumn Budget delivered on 26 November 2025 includes some changes which could have an impact on family advice in divorce cases. Here is a brief summary of some of the changes:
Benefits
- the two child benefit cap is to be removed from 6 April 2026
- in cases concerning financial settlements, where a party is in receipt of universal credit and has three or more children, their income may increase. This would need to be taken into consideration when calculating financial settlements
Mansion Tax
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a ‘high value council tax surcharge,’ known as ‘mansion tax’ will be introduced from April 2028 on properties over £2 million. In higher net worth cases, consideration should be given to this when looking at budgets
Inheritance Tax and Pension
- inheritance tax changes will include IHT on pension benefits which will be introduced by April 2027
- a 1 million allowance for Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief will be transferable between spouses and civil partners. This could affect settlement planning for couples who separate later in life
- as of April 2029, salary sacrifices for pensions will be capped at £2000. This may impact divorcing couples, rebuilding their pension post pension sharing
Capital Gains Tax rate (CGT)
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the CGT rate for Business Asset Disposal Relief and Investors’ Relief will increase to 18% from 14%. This could affect business assets in high net worth financial remedy cases
HMCTS Release Note: HM Courts and Tribunals (HMCTS) has introduced some changes to the D8 application form, used to apply for a divorce or ending of a civil partnership. The changes relate to issues with parties’ names, which can differ from or be incorrectly recorded on marriage certificates. This can then lead to delays in progressing an application, especially when there are difficulties providing evidence of names.
HMCTS have now included further questions on the online D8 application along with guidance for “both citizen and solicitor journeys” to help applicants or respondents to complete the application without delays.
CONSUMER
Fraud Reporting Changes: Report Fraud has replaced Action Fraud. The service offers:
- a Report Fraud contact centre and Report Fraud reporting tool
- the Report Fraud National Crime analysis service
- the Report Fraud victim service
The telephone number is 0300 123 20240 – this is the same as the Action Fraud number. Anyone clicking on the Action Fraud website address will be redirected to the new Report Fraud website.
You can check the Report Fraud website.
Research and Reports
Dying in Poverty 2025: The report by Marie Curie highlights that over 100,000 people in the UK die in poverty each year, with a particularly high number affected by fuel poverty. The report calls for urgent government action to increase support for working-age individuals with terminal illnesses, improve energy bill assistance, and address the disproportionate impact of poverty on minority ethnic groups. Read the report here.
Homelessness in England 2025: This report sets out the scale of recorded homelessness in England on a given night in 2025 – and the areas where homelessness is most acute. Read the report here.
Upcoming Events & Training
VCS Volunteer & Staff Safeguarding Awareness, Wednesday 21st January 2026, 10:00 – 11:00, Online: Boost your community group’s confidence and capability with our online Safeguarding Adults Awareness Course.
This short, convenient and engaging training is designed specifically for volunteers and staff in local VCS organisations to cover the essentials of:
- What is safeguarding?
- What the signs of abuse are and how to recognise them
- How to respond appropriately to concerns
- Understand the reporting pathways
With clear guidance, real-world examples, and practical tips, the course ensures every volunteer feels prepared, informed, and empowered to safeguard those they support. Equip your team with the knowledge that makes a real difference in your community. Sign up here.
Funding
Neighbourhood Fund: The Neighbourhood Fund supports local community groups whose work addresses local issues, social problems, poverty and disadvantage. Of particular interest are groups supporting older people and groups supporting people experiencing mental health challenges.
Grants of up to £5000 are available. The current round of this Fund opened on November 24, 2025 and the deadline to apply is midday on January 16, 2026. See here for full application details.
DCF Bursary Scheme: The DCF Bursary scheme supports students living in Dorset age 16-25, who are in vocational (job-related) courses at selected colleges and sixth forms. Applicants must live in a household with income of less than £35,000 or have other challenges. Grants are up to £1000 and support essential course costs such as travel and equipment (not course fees). See here for full application details.
SWEF Enterprise Fund: The SWEF Enterprise Fund awards grants to young people in Dorset who are in need of financial support to launch or develop a new businesses that is within its first two and a half years of trading. The Fund offers Start-up Grants of up to £500 and Business Grants of up to £2000. See here for full application details.
