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
No new notifications, but there are still a couple of vacancies on the Citizens Advice Central Dorset website, here.
Information updates
BENEFITS
Child Benefit: A message to families to let HMRC know by 31 August if your teenager, aged 16-19 years old, intends to stay in approved education or training. Extending your Child Benefit ensures you won’t miss out on any payments. If your child changes their mind about further education or training, simply let HMRC know online or in the app and your records will be updated.
Pension Credit: The DWP’s Pension Credit toolkit for stakeholders – here – contains a range of materials to help older people understand how they could get Pension Credit. Updated 10 July 2024 – with links to updated videos you can use to promote Pension Credit.
Universal Credit, Limited Capability for Work and NI credits: Limited Capability for Work (LCW) and Limited Capability for Work Related Activity (LCWRA) are complex areas of benefit rules. Some claimants will be entitled to receive national insurance credits when they have limited capability for work (LCW) or limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA). As well as helping them maintain their national insurance record for the purposes of the state retirement pension, such credits offer advantages when it comes to certain means-tested benefits such as UC. ‘Regulation 21’ covers the transition to Universal Credit (UC), with regards to how clients can be determined to have LCW or LCWRA without needing to undergo a new work capability assessment (WCA). This adviser online article looks at some recent case law on this topic. There’s also a CPAG article on National Insurance contributions and LCW – here.
Universal Credit migration: There is a specific DWP freephone to support people who have received a Migration Notice: 0800 169 0310 (8am – 6pm). Read more here.
EMPLOYMENT
Holiday rights if you work irregular hours or term-time only: From January 2024 the Working Time Regulations 1998 were amended to contain specific rules for two types of workers — ‘irregular hours’ and ‘part-year’ workers. This Adviser Online article looks at how those types of workers are defined, and how statutory holiday entitlement and pay is calculated for them.
LEGAL
Family Court Transparency Pilot extended: As part of the work to create greater transparency and enhance ‘public confidence’ in the family justice system, the transparency pilot will now allow for private law cases to be reported in certain courts in the pilot. The pilot requires the court to make a transparency order to enable a case to be reported and the decision to grant a transparency order will be made by the court and can set out what can and cannot be reported. The extension to this pilot now includes Dorset, and means that media reporters or legal bloggers, subject to rules of anonymity, will be able to report on both public and private law cases at the courts. Read the Guidance here.
OTHER
Phishing emails: The latest Action Fraud figures show that over 32 million phishing emails have now been reported to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS). This has resulted in more than 329,000 website addresses being removed by the National Cyber Security Centre. More than a third of emails have been reported in the last year. “Action Fraud is urging everyone to be extra vigilant of suspicious-looking emails landing in their inbox “ says Claire Webb, Deputy Head of Action Fraud. Text messages can also be reported to the 7726 number. Reporting to 7726 has led to more than 60,000 malicious websites being removed.
People can forward suspicious emails to [email protected], and forward suspicious text messages to 7726. Read Action Fraud’s press release here.
Events and training
Rural Homelessness event to set up a community of practice – 19 July: Homeless Link is a national membership charity for organisations working directly with people who become homeless in England, working to make services better and campaign for policy change that will help end homelessness. They are setting up six meetings over the next few months, in partnership with English Rural, to establish a Rural Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Community of Practice. The first one is on Friday – find out more here.
Housing and innovation – New approaches to tackle the ongoing cost of living crisis and rent arrears challenges: This online Policy in Practice webinar is on Wednesday 24 July, 10:30 – 11:45. As the cost of living crisis continues to affect households across the UK, this persistent challenge demands new approaches and innovative solutions. Sovereign Network Group (SNG), a leading G15 housing provider with a strong presence across Southern England, will share insights into its proactive approach of embedding income maximisation support at all stages of the customer journey. Register here.
Space Family Day – 27 July, Weymouth: These monthly events are for LGBT+ people (up to 25 years old) and their families to come together in a safe space and talk about important issues. The theme for the next event is ‘Mental Health and Trans+People’. More info on Space is here, and for booking information – contact: [email protected]
1624 – BCHA: This programme is for people aged 15 – 25 not in education employment or training. it is based in BCP, delivered face-to-face or virtually. and for BCP residents. This bespoke coaching programme combines mentoring, workshops, activities and signposting to help young people move closer to education, employment and/or training. 1624 also offers young people a fantastic chance to engage with their community, make new friends, build their self-esteem, learn life skills and develop new hobbies. Read more here.
Disability Services Advocacy Team awareness sessions: Various dates in August for courses course covering PIP,DLA and Industrial Injuries Benefit – see flyer:
Skills and Leaning: New programme out now; venues across Dorset and BCP areas; over 40 free Digital Courses. Some are qualifications and skills courses such as Barbering, Hairdressing, Bookkeeping and Counselling. Others are community courses such as Pottery, Arts and Languages. Plus courses for SEND adults, ESOL, English and maths for all. Read more here.
Reports, research, consultations
Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) consultation: The consultation is on new technical guidance on sexual harassment and harassment at work. From 26 October 2024, the new Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 introduces a new positive legal obligation on employers to take reasonable steps through preventative action to protect their workers from sexual harassment. Employers failing this new duty could trigger EHRC powers to take enforcement action against the employer, employment tribunals can also increase compensation for sexual harassment by up to 25%. Read more here.
Age UK – Help with Housing Costs: Using a mystery shopping approach, 220 calls were made to 110 councils in England and Wales to find out what options were offered to someone who wants to apply for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction but cannot do so online. The study found considerable variation in options given and how easy it was to find out about them……read more in Age UK’s report here.
Citizens Advice July Data Insights: You can watch the recording of this event, held on 16 July here – the theme was ‘Labour’s first 100 days’…..and……
The King’s speech: This includes the announcement of a child poverty taskforce and legislation to ban exploitative practices and enhance employment rights; for comment see: Joseph Rowntree Foundation here, CPAG here,
Funding News
Talbot Village Trust: The Trust distributes approximately £1 million annually. Groups based in BCP, Purbeck and East Dorset may be eligible. The next deadline for their Autumn 2024 grant round is 31st July. Read more here.
BH Coastal Lottery: The BH Coastal Lottery gives small grants to community projects that provide services within Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole to ensure that communities are vibrant whereby residents have an outstanding quality of life, and everyone plays an active role. Grants of between £200 and £2,500 are available. More information here.
WCIT Charity – IT4Good programme: This provides funding for Digital Education, Inclusion, and IT Projects across the UK. They are offering grants of up to £15,000 for educational establishments and not-for-profit organisations to support IT projects and activities that support the themes of education, inclusion, IT for charities, and understanding of IT. The IT4Good Grants Programme will support activities such as the development and delivery of new services, solutions, training, apps, analytics, AI, robotics, or accessibility features/hardware. Closing date 31 July 2024; read more here.