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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Jobs
Citizens Advice BCP – Immigration Specialist Caseworkers (2 roles available): Citizens Advice BCP are in receipt of funding from The National Lottery Community Fund to set up and run a 3 year project to train two Immigration Caseworkers to OISC Level 2. The project will build on our existing provision to enable us to provide better help for residents experiencing problems with their immigration status.
Immigration advice is regulated by the Office of Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) and split into 3 levels; however; in practice, immigration advice at all levels is complex and requires rigorous training and expertise. Training in immigration requires time, commitment, and supervision from a higher-level Immigration Adviser, which will be provided through this project. In conjunction with the OISC training, our Immigration Caseworkers will be expected to directly support clients to understand their rights and options and administer casework provision on their behalf throughout the project.
Salary: £27,184 per annum, full time – part time hours considered. Closing date: 13 March 2024. Job Pack and application form below:
Immigration Specialist Caseworker – Job Pack
Staff Application form – Immigration Caseworker
Information
COST OF LIVING
Energy Price Cap: Ofgem have announced the energy price cap for the next period – 1 April to 30 June 2024. This means that from 1 April 2024 a household with a typical consumption on dual electricity and gas will pay:
- £1,690 a year if they pay by direct debit
- £1,796 if they pay by standard credit (on receipt of bill)
- £1,643 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. From 1 April the Energy Price Guarantee will no longer apply to households with a prepayment meter. Ofgem have announced that standing charges will be the same for prepayment and direct debit. This is known as ‘levelisation’. Read more on the Ofgem website.
BENEFITS
Universal Credit Managed Migration – deadlines: Rightsnet have summarised recent managed migration statistics here. The numbers show a significant percentage of claimants not claiming Universal Credit by their deadline day. If clients are unable to claim before the deadline day then there are 2 things that can be done to mitigate this.
- First, they can ask the DWP to extend the date, so long as this is done before deadline day.
- Second, even if they miss deadline day, they won’t miss out on the transitional protection they are entitled to so long as they claim before their ‘final deadline’.
‘Final deadline’ is the last day of an assessment period that would begin on deadline day. So if someone’s deadline day is 15 March then their final deadline is 14 April. Also there have been cases where couples moving from Tax Credits ask for an extension but the DWP action it in one name only. This then causes a problem with stop notices going out in the other person’s name. In these cases it is important to stress to the DWP that you need the deadline day extended for both members of the couple to prevent this issue.
EMPLOYMENT
Unpaid carers leave: From 6 April 2024, the Carers Leave Regulations 2024 allows employees to take one week of unpaid leave per year to provide, or arrange, care for a dependant with a long term care need.
- Leave can be taken piecemeal, but at a minimum period of half a day
- Employees need to give twice a much notice as the intended period of leave
- Employers can postpone the request by a month if the impact of the leave will disrupt the business
- Employees have the right to return to the same job and will be protected from detriment and dismissal
If an employer unreasonably postpones, prevents or attempts to prevent an employee from taking carer’s leave, they can make an ET claim seeking a declaration and a “just and equitable” compensatory award, which depends on the employer’s behaviour and any consequential loss sustained by the employee.
Changes to protection from redundancy during pregnancy, maternity, adoption and shared parental leave: Employees at risk of redundancy who are on maternity leave, adoption leave or shared parental leave enjoy special protection, in that they have an automatic right to be offered any suitable vacancies, if there is one. However, research by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in 2019, discovered that 1 in 9 women were fired, forced out of jobs or made redundant when they returned to work after maternity leave, with a further estimate that annually 54,000 women may lose their jobs due to pregnancy or maternity. New regulations coming into force on 6 April, will mean:
- Employers must offer a suitable alternative vacant role for 6 months after the date of a return to work for employees returning from maternity, adoption or shared parental leave.
- The enhanced protected period starts on the date of return to work after maternity or adoption leave, where that leave ends on or after 6 April.
- For parents taking SPL who haven’t taken maternity or adoption leave, the protected period also extends to 18 months from birth.
- However, for the extended protection to apply for a period after the SPL has ended, a parent must meet a minimum 6 week threshold of continuous leave. Where the 6 week threshold is not met, the redundancy protection only applies during the shared parental leave.
IMMIGRATION
Ukraine visa extension scheme: The government has announced an extension scheme across the three visa pathways, but appears to be merging them into one scheme going forward (with the exception of children born in the UK). “If you have been given permission to be in the UK under one of the Ukraine Schemes, you may be able to apply for a further 18 months permission to stay in the UK under the new Ukraine Permission Extension scheme. You’ll be able to apply 3 months before your existing visa is due to expire.” More information on Gov.UK. The initial visa period will be halved for any new applicants to 18 months.
FAMILY
Child Maintenance Service reform: This press release summarises how the Government is reforming the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) to crack down on parents who refuse to pay and ensure children get the support they deserve more quickly. The Government is also removing the £20 application fee for child maintenance service and making all applications free from 26 February 2024, to ensure no child misses out on vital support. Also announced are new powers for the CMS to write off debt worth less than £7 in a small number of inactive cases that would have been closed were it not for small outstanding balances. The Child Maintenance Service can be accessed here.
ENERGY
Being moved to a prepayment meter: If someones’s supplier is trying to move them to prepayment, they must follow rules set by the energy regulator, Ofgem. Read more on the Citizens Advice website here. Ofgem has given 3 more suppliers – E.ON, Tru Energy and Utility Warehouse – permission to restart involuntary PPM installations.
Local energy advice from Ridgewater: Their recent newsletter includes
- Damp & Mould Advice booklets: designed to support tenants and landlords. These comprehensive resources cover a wide range of advice on tackling damp and condensation problems, preventive measures, as well as guidance on maintenance and legal obligations for landlords. Tailored to the BCP Council area. You can order the booklets here.
- A new element of LEAP will focus on making a heating system run more efficiently and is aimed at owner occupiers with gas central heating systems where the boiler is working AND less than 10 years old AND at least a couple of other criteria are met. More on LEAP here.
Events
Ramadan 2024: Ramadan is expected to begin on 11 March and run until 10 April. The Muslim Council for Britain has a comprehensive guide – here – offering valuable insights into the meaning and practices of Ramadan, providing practical advice for employers supporting Muslim colleagues. It also includes top tips for maintaining physical and mental well-being during Ramadan, particularly for those fasting while working.
Autism Unlimited – Neurodiversity in the Workplace: Discover how diverse minds can bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to organisations. Whether you’re an employer, HR or Learning and Development professional or simply interested in this topic, this event is for you! Wednesday 13th March 2024, 07:45 – 10:00. Location: The Bridge House, Bournemouth, Dorset. More information and link to booking are in this flyer:
neurodiversity in the workplace
Citizens Advice – March data insights briefing: Monday 18 March, 2pm. The theme is: Spring Budget 2024: How will the chancellor’s decisions impact the lives of the people we help? The Spring Budget may be the chancellor’s last opportunity to make changes before the upcoming general election, and it will most likely set the tone for the Conservative election campaign. This month’s event will examine how the chancellor’s announcement will impact cost-of-living and if any of his decisions will help to lift people out of the red. Book via eventbrite.
Reports, research, etc
Pontins discrimination case: Pontins Holiday Parks has been served with an unlawful act notice by the Equality and Human Rights Commission after an investigation found multiple instances of discrimination against Irish Travellers. . Pontins held a ‘ban list’ of Irish surnames associated with travellers, referring to them as ‘undesirables’, refusing or cancelling bookings for people whose surnames were listed. After an earlier intervention by the EHRC in 2001, Pontins failed to satisfy the terms of an action plan imposed on them, and continued to discriminate, for example refusing to accept customers who weren’t on the electoral register, searching customer addresses to identify people who lived on Traveller sites, or imposing large cash deposit requirements on ‘undesirable’ customers. The EHRC has served an Unlawful act notice on Pontins, setting out recommendations which it must adopt, in order to eradicate further discrimination. Read the report on the EHRC website.
How to try and get a UC overpayment written off: This Adviser online article looks at the background to, and situations where, the DWP can be asked to use its discretion to waive recovery of overpayments, not just those caused by official error.
End Violence Against Women – snapshot report: The End Violence Against Women Coalition’s latest annual snapshot report highlights a concerning lack of public trust in politicians and public institutions to tackle VAWG with the YouGov poll finding that 50% of the public do not trust the police to tackle VAWG, 46% do not trust schools to tackle sexual offences that occur on the premises, and 68% of the public believe the government should be doing more to tackle VAWG. Read more here.
Funding news
BCP Thriving Communities Fund: This programme will distribute some of the funds received by BCP Council via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. There are two grant types – groups can apply for one grant only, choosing which priority is most appropriate:
- Volunteering & Social Action (grants up to £5,000): The Fund is aiming to support local community groups delivering impactful volunteering and/or social action projects and activities, within BCP, that improve lives.
- Capital grants for Community Buildings (grants up to £3,000): The Fund is offering small grants to support small capital improvements, for eligible community groups running community buildings in BCP that provide facilities for local community-led groups and activities. This includes community centres, hubs or village halls.
Closing date 29 March. Read more here.
Richard Davies Charitable Foundation: Grants are available for charitable organisations undertaking projects in Bristol, Dorset and South Gloucestershire. The funding is for a range of charitable activities, with a focus on supporting children/young people, the elderly and people with disabilities.
Funding is at the discretion of the Trustees. In the past, grants have usually been between £1,000 and £5,000. The Foundation only awards a small number of grants annually and gives out a total of between £30,000 and £50,000 in funding. Groups should write to the Trust for further information on how to apply: 76 Wollaton Road, Ferndown, BH22 8QY.
The McCarthy Stone Foundation is looking for grassroots organisations in deprived areas working to alleviate loneliness in older people. To be eligible to apply you must be a registered charity, community group with constitution, exempt charity, or Community Interest Company with a turnover under £250,000 p.a. You must be working with adults over 65 years of age and providing direct person-centred interventions eg. befriending to address loneliness. This funding does not cover connector or infrastructure services.
Closing date 16 March. Read more here.