3504 SHA Your Voice 15 - Spectrum Housing Group

FinancialChanges toIncapacity BenefitFrom 27 October 2008 the Incapacity Benefit wasreplaced by Employment and SupportAllowance (ESA) for customers who are applyingfor the first time.When customers apply for this new ESA by phoning thenearest Jobcentre Plus office, they will be placed on anAssessment Phase for the first 13 weeks and will be paid£60.50 per week, if over 25 years old.During this assessment phase they will need to provide acertificate from their doctor confirming that they are unable towork. Also, within the first few weeks of this 13 week phasethey will be required to attend a Work Capability Assessmentmeeting at the Jobcentre Plus office. This face-to-facemeeting, which will explore how the customer’s illness anddisability affects their ability to work and it will assess whatsomeone is able to do, rather than what they cannot do.The assessment will determine whether the customer hasa limited capability for work or a limited capability for awork-related activity or if they are in need of access to ahealthcare professional to discuss their views aboutmoving into work, or to identify their need for any healthrelated support.Basically, it is thought that without work, people canquickly lose confidence, become depressed and sociallyisolated and that work is therefore important for people’shealth. Employment and Support Allowance aims to helppeople to reach their full potential through work and itwill ensure that their individual needs are recognised andprovide them with personalised support to help them ontheir path to a suitable job.For customers who were receiving Income Support and/orIncapacity Benefit before 27 October 2008, they will stillcontinue to receive it for the time being.For further information visit www.dwp.gov.uk/esa orcontact 0845 6088 564.Financial advice available onlineThe recession is having an impact on a number ofus, with reduced working hours or redundancyfor some and increasing levels of debt for many. Forthose who have access to the internet, help is at hand.Turn2us is a charity that exists to help people access thefunds they need that are available to them – throughbenefits, grants and other financial help.Their free, accessible website – www.turn2us.org.uk – isa comprehensive and invaluable resource designed tohelp individuals find appropriate sources of financialsupport, quickly and easily, based on their particularneeds and circumstances.Features of the website include:A Benefits Checker that helps people ensure that theyare receiving all the welfare benefits they are entitled toA Grants Search database containing the details ofhundreds of grant-giving charities (national, regional andlocal) that may be able to provide financial support andother servicesA confidential ‘My Turn2us’ account that can be usedto make online enquiries and applications to grant-givingcharitiesInformation and interactive tools covering a widerange of subjects on welfare benefits, grants andmanaging money.Their service is: comprehensive and reliable; all in one place;based on highly credible sources; confidential; secure; free!If you are seeking help for yourself or someone close toyou, Turn2us aims to help you access the money availableto you. For the first time, in one place on their website,you can find information and tools to help you find thesupport, based on your specific needs and circumstances.You can also register for a personal ‘My Turn2us’ account,which allows you to make confidential enquiries andapplications directly to many of the grant-giving charitiesthat you identify using the Grants Search database.Visit the website: www.turn2us.org.uk or email:info@turn2us.org.uk. You can also now access thewebsite from the Signpost website: www.sha.co.uk14