Surrey Welfare Rights Unit

FOR TRAINING FEES PLEASE SEE HERE

Who is this course for?

This is a half day course for front line staff who may be the first point of contact for clients. It is designed to help staff consider whether the correct award of benefit has been made and understand the next steps that should be taken to ensure the client has the full advantage of the newly awarded benefit.

Aim

The aim of the course is for delegates to understand what to do if an award or decision is incorrect, and to advise clients of the additional entitlements the award of benefit may bring.

Objectives

By the end of the course delegates should:

• Have an understanding of the impact of a new claim for one of the disability benefits on the level of the award of means tested benefits
• Feel confident that they can advise the client what they need to do to gain access to ‘passported’ benefits
• Understand who the clients need to inform and what to check in award letters to ensure the levels of existing benefit awards reflect a new decision
• Have an understanding of the strict time limits for any possible challenge
• Feel confident that they can advise on taking the initial steps of a challenge and have the knowledge about when and how to signpost or refer their client for further specialised help