Feeling squeezed? - Hyde Housing Association

LOCAL KENT NEWS
Winter Poem by Glenis Hayes
When the long hours of light become limited
And the coldness bites the air
Autumn changing trees gold to amber
And the gardens look quite sad and bare
When the garden mower is left to rest
In amongst our discarded pots
And the summer plants safely stored away
Or perhaps left alone in sheds to rot
Some winter pansies and cyclamen
Splash some colour amongst the green
An odd rose might bloom and delight us
Spreading its jewel out like a Queen
It gazes out through the golden Acer Tree
Looking soft and pink and lush
For a day things look like summer again
Till the winter winds blow and crush
Snow won’t be long coming here again
Turning our gardens virgin white
Displaying Christmas Bells and Decorations
In our windows with twinkling lights
Gardens and seasons are a spectacle
What ever the skies decide
And a gardener really a creator
Something enjoyed by all world wide
Is a cross government programme
to address public concerns about
crime and justice.
Central to this is the Policing Pledge
which sets out the service local people
can expect from their police force, how
crime is being tackled and how justice is
being delivered. This includes improving
communication links and providing
opportunities for the public to suggest
what work and projects offenders should
undertake throughout the year as part of
the Community Payback scheme.
Feeling squeezed by the credit crunch?
According to the Department for Work and Pensions large
numbers of people are still not claiming the benefits they are
entitled to. Why leave the money in the government’s bank
account when it could be in your pocket?
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit
are available to people of all ages and
circumstances. A lot of people think
that they are only for the retired, the
unemployed or those unable to work,
but this is not the case. Those in paid
employment may be eligible depending
on the exact circumstances of their
household and the amount of money
they have coming in each week. More
and more people are now working fewer
hours to save their companies and their
own long term job prospects. This may
make them eligible for Housing Benefit
and Council Tax Benefit. It may also mean
that they could be entitled to claim, or
receive increases in other benefits or
credits, such as Working Tax Credit and
Child Tax Credit.
Another advantage for those claiming
certain state benefits is that they can get
help to make their homes more energy
efficient through insulation grants. This
can reduce heating bills and save even
more money.
Kent Benefits Partnership (KBP) gives
advice to customers about benefits that
they may be entitled to. Not everyone is
aware of the service, so we want to make
sure all Kent residents know what they
are entitled to. KBP can be contacted by
phone, email or in person. The phone
number is 0845 345 0310, email address
kentbenefitspartnership@kent.gov.uk
or you can arrange a visit from KBP in
person. Alternatively, you can call KCC’s
24 hour helpline on 08458 247 247 for
more information.
It is now possible to find out your
neighbourhood policing team’s contact
details and 24/7 non emergency details
via the internet www.kent.police.co.uk
and by text - simply by texting PLEDGE
and your postcode to 66101.
For more information about the
campaign visit http://campaigns.direct.
gov.uk/policingpledge/index.html
Mobile Gateways
advice on your doorstep
Gateways are on the move! KCC’s
mobile Gateway, staffed with experts
from a range of agencies, will offer job,
debt and benefits advice in advertised
surgeries held throughout the county.
This range of services is also available
in the five high street Gateways where
people can access a range of public
services. They are currently up and
running in Thanet, Ashford, Tenterden,
Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone and
will open soon in Tonbridge and Dover.
For more information on your local
mobile and Gateway services, please
call 08458 247 247.
12 | Living | Winter 2009