transcript of this video - Renfrewshire Council

Benefits Are Changing Awareness Video -
How Welfare Reform changes affect Renfrewshire residents
Intro
You may have heard that benefits are changing because of the Welfare Reform
Act.
These changes will affect many people of working age living in Renfrewshire who
are on benefits or claim benefits from time to time.
The changes should not affect pensioners at this point in time. However after
October 2013, people of pension age with younger working page partners,
could be affected.
So what are the main changes? Well, many have already taken place, but the
biggest changes, the ones that affect council services most, started from April
2013.
Under Occupancy
From 1 st April 2013, the UK Government introduced new occupancy rules that will
affect working age tenants on Housing Benefit. This means if you or your partner
were born on or after 6 th October 1951, you could be affected.
People living in council or other social housing that is bigger than the new
occupancy rules say they need, will find their housing benefit reduced.
It is estimated that 68% of social housing tenants in Renfrewshire receive Housing
Benefit to help them with their housing costs. Of these, it is estimated that 3,000
will be classed as under-occupying by one room or more according to the new
rules.
If you have one spare room, you could lose £11 a week on average, or £20 a week
on average for two or more spare rooms. This means that you will have to make up
the difference from your other benefits or earnings. Even if you are hoping to start a
family you wouldn’t qualify for the extra room until the child is born.
Households are allowed one bedroom each for a couple, a person over 16, two
children of the same sex under 16 years, two children under 10 of either sex, any
other child, disabled children, or a carer providing overnight care.

Foster-carers are entitled to one bedroom for foster-children and parents of
forces personnel are entitled to a room if their child normally lives with them but is
away from home on duty.
Most of our houses have 2 or more bedrooms and in most cases it may not be
possible to re-house people even if they want to move to a house where their
benefit will cover the rent.
Occupancy rules have applied in private sector housing for some time, but this is
the first time they have been applied to council housing and housing associations.
It is recognised that many people might find it very difficult to bridge the gap
between what they will receive in Housing Benefit and their full rent charge. It is
important that you speak to your landlord about your housing options as soon as
possible.
Council Tax Reduction Scheme
A new Council Tax Reduction Scheme is also being introduced from 1 April 2013 to
replace the current Council Tax Benefit scheme. The Scottish Government is
taking on responsibility for this scheme from the DWP and it will continue to be
administered by councils. The intention is that there will be little change to this in
the first year at least and all existing discounts, including the single persons
discount, will still apply.
Because this is a discount scheme, it will not be included within Universal Credit.
Like any other council tax discount, your council tax charge will be reduced by the
amount you are awarded and you will have to pay any remaining balance. The
amount you will have to pay will be highlighted on your council tax bill.
Crisis and Community Care Grants
From April 2013, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will no longer deal
with Crisis Loans and Community Care Grants. Instead, these schemes have been
transferred to councils under the new name of the Scottish Welfare Fund. For more
detail about the Scottish Welfare Fund in Renfrewshire, please visit
www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/swf or call 0300 300 0204.
The DWP will continue to deal with other payments including Sure Start Maternity
Grants, Funeral Payments, Cold Weather Payments and Winter Fuel Payments.
Personal Independence Payments (PIP)

From June 2013 Personal Independence Payments will replace Disability Living
Allowance (DLA) for people who are 16 – 64. To qualify for these payments, it is
likely that you will have to attend a medical assessment. Many disability
organisations fear that the new criteria for PIP will mean that large numbers of
people who currently qualify for Disability Living Allowance will not qualify for the
new benefit, or will qualify at a lower rate.
From June 2013, all new claims will be for PIP
This will affect existing claimants from October 2013. If DLA awards are due to be
renewed or you report a change in your condition you will have to apply for PIP
instead.
From October 2015 all remaining DLA claimants will require to apply for PIP. If you
do not apply, your DLA payment will stop. The DWP will write to all claimants
nearer the time to advise when an application for PIP is required.
If you are currently on DLA and want to seek an uprating from October 2013,
perhaps because your situation has got worse, you should seek advice which is
available from organizations such as the Council’s Advice Works Service or your
local Citizens Advice Bureau.
The Benefit Cap
The Benefit Cap will be introduced in Renfrewshire from July 2013, with all
appropriate households capped by the end of September 2013.
If you are part of a working age household, the amount of weekly benefits you can
receive will be limited to £500 for a lone parent or couple and £350 for a single
person.
The new cap doesn’t apply if anyone living in your household is claiming certain
disability benefits.
The cap is most likely to affect people in receipt of a number of benefits and people
in accommodation that has a more expensive rental charge, for example specialist
accommodation for homeless people.
Universal Credit
From October 2013, the Department for Work and Pensions will start to introduce a
new benefit known as Universal Credit.
The introduction of Universal Credit is aimed at simplifying the current system and
making it easier for people moving in an out of work.

Universal credit will replace a wide range of benefits including
Child tax credit
Housing benefit
Income related employment and support allowance
Income based jobseekers allowance
Income support and working tax credit
Universal Credit will be paid calendar monthly to one person in the household, and
will be paid in arrears.
Your rent will no longer be paid directly to your landlord. Instead your benefits will
be paid direct to you and you will have to budget your rent bills and spending every
month. It is important that you pay your rent or you will be at risk of losing your
home.
If you don’t have a bank account, it’s a good idea to get one. Ask a local bank or
credit union about a basic bank account that will allow you to set up a direct debit to
pay your rent to your landlord which will make rent and other payments easier.
End
For more information on how the changes might affect you, visit our website at
www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/benefitchanges or speak to an advisor on 0300 300 0288.
Leaflets are also available at various Council locations including Customer Service
points and libraries.