Briefing note - Coventry City Council

household can receive - £500 for couples and single parent families and £350 for
single people.
3.22 The benefit cap will not apply if anyone in the household (excluding nondependents)
receives:
• Working Tax Credit (the government have said this will also apply to those who
work sufficient hours to qualify for WTC even if they do not receive it)
• Disability Living Allowance (or the Personal Independence Payment from April
2013)
• Attendance Allowance
• the support component of Employment and Support Allowance
• War Pensions (including War Widows or War Widower's Pension)
• Industrial Injuries Benefit.
3.23 If the benefit goes over the cap, it will be the housing benefit that is cut. DWP are
writing to those affected. Anecdotal discussions suggest people are saying they will
take the financial hit.
3.24 There are about 270 families in Coventry who will be impacted by the benefit cap.
About 170 cases are in private sector housing and the balance of around 100
families with Registered Social Landlords. . The weekly loss of benefit ranges from
under £10 to over £150 per week. The total annual loss is estimated to be over
£820,000.
3.25 DWP have been writing to affected people since March and will be double checking
which individuals/families are impacted between now and July.
3.26 The Council is working with partners on the best approach to supporting people
affected by this change. In the majority of cases, the most relevant support is likely
to be budgeting advice. The DHP fund is also likely to be considered for some
cases.
Changes to benefits for the disabled
3.27 There have been a series of road shows across the city for disabled people to
highlight the impact of the changes. Retesting on eligibility of disability allowances
(ESA and DLA) is going on until 2017.
3.28 With regards to ESA, about a third of people are failing their applications based on
their medical examination. Appeals are currently at an 85% success rate in
Coventry, although it can take up to 10 months for the appeal to take place. New
appeals venues in Leamington and Nuneaton to hear appeals should help to
reduce the wait. The Law Centre are trying to support people with how to fill in
forms and score points during their initial application so that they avoid the need to
go the appeal, and are aiming to train volunteers to do offer this support.
3.29 Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit for people aged 16 to 64 with a
long-term health condition or disability. From 8 April 2013, it replaces Disability
Living Allowance (DLA) for some people making a new claim. From 10 June 2013,
it replaces DLA for all new claims. There are 18,385 people in Coventry on DLA
and the Government's aim is to reduce this amount by 20% (500,000 people
nationally) when people move onto PIP.
3.30 People already getting DLA, PIP is being introduced gradually over several years
and will eventually replace DLA. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will
4