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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If you would like to send anything out via the bulletin, and for all other enquiries about the Advice Dorset Partnership, contact Caroline Buxton at Citizens Advice Central Dorset: [email protected]
Jobs
Citizens Advice in East Dorset and Purbeck – Training Manager: CA in EDP are seeking an innovative and enthusiastic Training Manager. This is an exciting opportunity for someone looking for a new Challenge. You will be responsible for developing a fresh approach to recruiting and training, ensuring that organisational training objectives are set, delivered, reviewed and updated as necessary. Hybrid working across Wareham and Wimborne offices, and outreaches. 18 Hours/week. Salary between £30,296 – £31364 pro rata plus 3% workplace pension. More details here:
Information updates
COST OF LIVING
February Cost of Living fact sheet:
2024 FEB Cost-of-Living-Crisis-factsheet
Final Cost of Living Payment: The final payment of £299 for those on means-tested benefits and tax credits will be made between 16 and 22 February. Read more here.
Warm Home Discount – reminder: This is £150 off people’s electricity bill for winter 2023 to 2024, applied as a one-off discount to their bill between early October 2023 and 31 March 2024. People usually get the discount automatically if they are eligible; they should have had a letter by early January 2024. Anyone who does not get a letter and thinks they are eligible must contact the Warm Home Discount Scheme before 29 February 2024. Warm Home Discount Scheme helpline – 0800 030 9322 -Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm Read more here.
BENEFITS
Update on managed migration to Universal Credit: The government stated that it is on track to send migration notices to all households on Tax Credits only by the end of March 2024, with migration notices being sent in all Jobcentre districts in Great Britain. In 2024/25 the government plans to issue migration notices as follows:
- Income Support claimants from April
- Tax Credits with Housing Benefit claimants from April
- Housing Benefit-only claimants from June
- Employment and Support Allowance with Child Tax Credit claimants from July
- Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants from September.
The government plans to contact Tax Credit claimants who are over pension age from August 2024, and ask them to apply for either UC or Pension Credit. Read the Minister’s written statement here.
Bereavement Support Payments – backdating: If your partner dies before you reach state pension age, you may be due bereavement support payments. While this help was previously only available if you were married or in a civil partnership, a recent law change means cohabiting parents are newly eligible and may be able to get backdated payments, but the deadline to claim is 8 February 2024. Read more here.
IMMIGRATION
EUSS Late Applications – updated guidance: The Home Office has amended its guidance so that a person with permanent residence who did not realise that they needed to apply to the EUSS would have reasonable grounds for a late claim. There had been reports in the press of problems that the harsher rule, introduced last August, was having. Ignorance of a need to apply under the EUSS might also be good grounds in other circumstances. For instance if they have ‘ long continuous UK residence’, or where an applicant has received incorrect advice from an employer or landlord as to their right to work or rent in the UK without EU Settlement Scheme status or ‘has travelled in and out of the UK since 30 June 2021 without being signposted to the scheme’. Read the Govt’s caseworker guidance here.
Refugees: The Govt information here covers the actions refugees need to take to claim Universal Credit and other benefits, once they have been given refugee status
OTHER
Child Maintenance Service application fee removed: The Child Support (Management of Payments and Arrears and Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 have been published and remove the £20 fee to apply for child maintenance via the Child Maintenance Service (CMS). Currently the application fee applies in all cases except where the applicant has experienced domestic abuse, or where they are aged under 19. The regulations are here.
Careers Advice: Lifepilot is a free one-stop careers information and advice website for adults 19+ to get started with, or progress in learning/work/training. “Wherever you are starting from, Lifepilot has everything in one place to help you decide what to do next”. Funded by universities in England, Lifepilot is managed by professional careers advisers providing accurate and impartial information to support decision-making at all levels
SCAMS
Holiday scams: A recent Nationwide survey identified that many people take risks when booking holidays, eg. nearly a third of people rush into booking a break without checking if it’s really a good deal. They have published some tips – here – to avoid scams including:
- try to book directly with established hotels or ABTA- or ATOL- protected companies
- only use secure payment methods – if you are asked to make a bank transfer outside a website, this is likely to be a scam
- beware of really cheap holiday offers
- research thoroughly before buying your holiday
- when booking accommodation through a travel agent, ask what checks they make on the landlord and accommodation
Energy bill scam email: Which? has identified a scam email claiming to be from GOV.UK which tells recipients that they have been approved for “the Energy Bill Support Scheme”. The link on the email takes people to a phishing website which harvests personal information. There is currently no Energy Bill Support Scheme.
LOCAL NEWS
Ridgewater Energy: Ridgewater’s January newsletter contains information about the various schemes for helping people improve their home’s heating and energy efficiency, such as LEAP. If you don’t already get their Newsletter, sign up here.
Mental Health Support: Useful information from Dorset Healthcare here –If you are struggling to cope or feel yourself nearing a breakdown, Access Mental Health is here to provide help.
Events
Citizens Advice February Cost of Living briefing: Renamed as Data Insights briefing, Thursday 15 February 11.30. Book via eventbrite.
Research, reports, consultations
Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) consultation: MaPS has launched a consultation on proposals for the delivery of its debt advice strategy. The consultation is here, and runs until 3 April 2024.
Review of Civil Legal Aid – call for evidence: On 10 January 2024, the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) opened a call for evidence to gather more information to enable a review of Civil Legal Aid. The MOJ is interested in hearing the views of civil legal aid practitioners, those who have received legal aid and representative bodies and charities. The call for evidence is here, closing date is 21 February 2024.
Frontline Network – survey for homelessness workers: St Martin’s Frontline Network supports workers from the public, statutory and voluntary sectors across the UK who work on the frontline with people experiencing homelessness. This survey is a chance for people who work in housing and homelessness to share their insights about the issues they are tackling every day. To take part, complete the 2024 Frontline Worker Survey here by 5 February 2024.
Shock Proof – breaking the cycle of winter energy crises: The need for energy bill support is urgent. New polling and Citizens Advice data shows the extent to which some consumers across Great Britain were struggling in the first weeks of winter, for example, more than 3 million people have been disconnected from their energy in the last year because they could not afford to top up their prepayment meter, and over 5 million people live in homes with an energy debt. Read this new report form Citizens Advice here.
Buy Now Pay Later: This article from Citizens Advice, Inaction on Buy Now Pay Later risks growing levels of unaffordable debt, looks at how government action has stalled on bringing in effective regulation for BNPL products. Read more here.
Funding News
Money Saving Expert (MSE) Charity: Funding for organisations that deliver activities which make a lasting impact on how people think, behave and manage their money. Projects should focus on building financial capability skills for those who need it most and address the theme for that particular round. There are two rounds per year. The theme for the January 2024 grant round is ‘Living with Long Term Challenges’.
The maximum grant is £8,000. The MSE Charity will consider full project cost recovery, but costs must only relate to the project itself and not the organisation’s core funding. Small to medium-sized non-profit organisations with a constitution can apply, including UK registered charities, community interest companies, social enterprises and credit unions.
The next grant round opened for applications on 15 January 2024 with a deadline of 16 February 2024. Each grant round is limited to the first 40 accepted applications. Read more here.