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]
Information Updates
BENEFITS
Welfare Reform Updates: The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill passed the final Commons stage on Wednesday night by 336 votes to 242. A number of last-minute concessions at the second reading (1 July) were made including the removal of changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment criteria – this means that 370,000 of the previously estimated 800,000 claimants who would have lost out by 2029/30 are exempt from the cuts.
The following points have been confirmed:
- The PIP “4-point rule” for new claimants has been scrapped entirely.
- All existing PIP recipients will remain on the current system and the proposed changes to eligibility as part of the bill will only apply to new claims from November 2026.
- The standard UC payment will increase above inflation over the next four years, reaching around £725/month for single adults 25+ by 2029/30.
- Universal Credit health element (LCWRA) for new claimants will be cut from ~£390/month to ~£217/month from April 2026.
- 200,000 individuals in the Severe Conditions Criteria group – individuals with the most severe, lifelong conditions who are unlikely to recover – will not be called for a UC reassessment.
- All existing recipients of the UC health element and new customers with 12 months or less to live or who meet the Severe Conditions Criteria will see their standard allowance combined with their Limited Capability for Work Related Activity (LCWRA) rise at least in line with inflation every year from 2026/27 to 2029/30.
The following concessions were secured at the final reading:
- Disabled people and their representative organisations must be included in the oversight group that shapes future PIP rules.
- Cross‑departmental consultation is required before any new PIP eligibility regulations can be enacted.
- Introduction of measurable targets aimed at reducing the disability employment gap
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After the second reading, Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said the following:
“We’re pleased the government has finally listened to concerns and stepped back from rushing through devastating changes for disabled people. However, even with these last minute concessions, there is still more to do to protect people from hardship.”
“The government came into office promising to improve living standards – now they need to prove they mean it by changing course and creating a benefits system that actually supports people, rather than pushing them into poverty.”
OTHER
Heatwave Advice: The MHRA have given some essential advice on protecting medicines during extreme heat and staying safe this summer:
- Store medicines somewhere cool, dry and out of direct sunlight – especially if you’re out and about
- Know the signs of heat-related illness – stay hydrated and listen to your body
- Take extra care in the sun if your medicine makes your skin more likely to burn
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Dorset Council Revises Recycling Centre Plans: Following extensive public feedback, Dorset Council has revised its plans to roll out a booking system at all 10 of its Household Recycling Centres (HRCs). Instead of launching the system county-wide later this year, the council will now introduce it at four sites: Dorchester, Wimborne, Shaftesbury, and Sherborne. Read the details here.
Royal Mail: From July 28, 2025, Royal Mail will stop delivering second‑class letters on Saturdays. Instead, these letters will be delivered on alternate weekdays (e.g., Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday). Tom MacInnes, Director of Policy at Citizens Advice, said:
“Royal Mail has a woeful track record of failing to meet delivery targets, all the while ramping up postage costs. Today, Ofcom missed a major opportunity to bring about meaningful change. Pushing ahead with plans to slash services and relax delivery targets in the name of savings won’t automatically make letter deliveries more reliable or improve standards.”
Research and Reports
Low Pay Britain 2025: A new paper from the Resolution Foundation looks at what the evidence says about the likely economic impacts of the Employment Rights Bill that is currently making it’s way through parliament. Read the report here.
Social Care Reform – Failure Is Not An Option: A new briefing paper from the Institute for Public Policy Research explores the problems facing adult social care services across England. Annual care requests now exceed 2 million, with requests among working age adults up 30 per cent over eight years. The paper outlines key points that the IPPR argue must be taken into account by the government’s new independent commission into adult social care. Read the paper here.
Upcoming Events
Rural Housing Week: This week is Rural Housing Week 2025, an annual campaign led by the National Housing Federation to spotlight the vital role affordable housing plays in keeping rural communities vibrant, inclusive and sustainable. As the Rural Services Network (RSN) have highlighted, rural communities continue to struggle with a persistent shortage of truly affordable housing. The gap between local wages and the cost of homes, whether to rent or buy, is growing, and waiting lists in these areas are expanding faster than in urban centers.
Through their recently launched Delivering for All campaign, the RSN is calling for:
- A dedicated rural housing strategy;
- Investment in Rural Housing Enablers in every rural authority;
- A planning framework that enables affordable rural homes in the right places;
- And rural exemptions from policies – such as Right to Buy extensions – that could undermine affordable housing supply.
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Stand Up Against Harassment – 15 July, 12:30, online: Digital event to learn about standing up to harassment against women and girls. Sign up here.
Policy in Practice – Understanding the impact of disability benefits reforms on local authorities, Wed, 27 August, 10:30am – 11:45 (online): This online webinar could be useful for charities in Dorset to get a better understanding of how the proposed benefits reforms will impact local authorities. Register here.
Funding
New Volunteer Centre Dorset Funding: VCD has been awarded a two-year contract to coordinate the first phase of the Dorset Thriving Communities Network, a new initiative to build stronger, more connected support for older people in Dorset. As part of the programme, VCD will distribute around £132,000 in grant funding to small networks of community groups and charities. If you would like to register your interest in being involved in a Thriving Community Network, please email [email protected]
SNG Thriving Communities Fund Launched: Launched on 23 June, the Thriving communities fund is aimed at supporting not-for-profit groups and organisations to deliver cohesive, sustainable, and resilient communities.
This year, the Thriving Communities fund includes two main grants:
Strengthening Place grant – supports projects focused on:
- Health, wellbeing and social inclusion
- Community safety
- Environment and sustainability
- Youth and ageing well
Skills and Learning grant – supports projects focused on:
- Community digital support
- Financial skills and resilience
- Family learning
- Food education
Click here for all the details.
BCP Thriving Communities Fund: Dorset Community Foundation are offering grants of up to £5,000 supporting capital costs to improve community buildings. The grants are to support capital improvements, for community groups running community buildings in BCP that provide facilities for local community-led groups and activities. Further details can be found here.
Local Alliance Group Funding: Do you have a project you are setting up to support children, young people and families?
The Local Alliance Group (LAG) are once more inviting applicants to apply for:
- funding up to £5000 for individual groups/schools, or
- funding up to £20,000 for consortium applications from a group of settings (such as schools, individuals or organisations are also encouraged)
Further details can be found here.