By obtaining information from you we can check your entitlement for all applicable benefits and help with any water and/or energy arrears. We will also check to ensure any benefit you're already receiving was awarded at the correct level.

We will also look at other ways to improve your current situation such as managing debt, prescription charges, travel costs, free school meals and white goods. This also includes providing advice relating to any disability issues you may be experiencing.

There will be a small fee for the completion of any Water or Energy forms.

Free!

Attendance Allowance is a non-means tested benefit available to those over age 65 who, due to a mental or physical disability, require care and/or supervision.

We will order the Attendance Allowance form and complete it with you. A successful award would result in an annual income of £3052.40 at the lower rate or £4557.80 at the higher rate.

£80.00. £30.00 to be paid before work commences and an additional £50.00 following a successful award.

The Personal Independence Payment is a non-means tested benefit available to those aged between 16 and 65 who, due to a mental or physical disability, have either impaired mobility, a need for care and/or supervision or both.

We are unable to order the Personal Independence Payment application form on your behalf but will direct you to where you can order the form and then complete it with you. There is a medical assessment you may be required to attend in order to receive PIP and we will also provide guidance on how to conduct yourself during this process. A successful award of just the Standard Living component would give you an annual income of £3052.40, should you also receive the Standard Mobility component that would increase to £4258.80 annually with the potential to receive even more if awarded Enhanced Rates.

Depending on the outcome it may be possible to appeal the award if unsuccessful or we feel you have not been awarded the full amount you're entitled to, see the Appeals section below for details.

New claim: £80.00. £30.00 to be paid before work commences and an additional £50.00 following a successful award.

Renewal: £45.00

Review: £40.00

Employment Support Allowance is a benefit that functions as a replacement income for those people unable to work due to ill-health or disability. It may be means tested: income related, or non-means tested: contribution based.

We will assist you through the process and complete the Employment Support Allowance form with you. If successful you would receive £57.90 weekly for single persons under age 25 or £73.10 for those over 25. These rates would be paid during the Assessment Phase lasting 13 weeks, after which all single persons will receive £73.10 per week equivalent to £3801.20 annually with the exception of those placed into the Support Group who would be awarded £5805.80 annually. Being placed into the Support Group also guarantees your entitlement for the Enhanced Disability Premium meaning you would actually be receiving a potential £6679.40 annually.

£40.00 for ESA50 Capability for work questionnaire completion (Physical & Mental)
£35.00 if only a single part - physical or mental - is required.

Child Disability Living Allowance is a non-means tested benefit available for children up to the age of 16 who, due to a mental or physical disability, have either impaired mobility, a need for care and/or supervision or both.

We will order the Child Disability Living Allowance form and complete it with you. Child Disability Living Allowance is seperated into two components, Care and Mobility. Should you be awarded either Low Rate Care or Mobility you would receive £1206.40 annually or £2412.80 if awarded both with the possibility to receive up to £7740.20 per year if you were awarded High Rate Care and Mobility.

£90.00. £33.00 to be paid before work commences and an additional £57.00 following a successful award.

Pension Credit is a way to top up your income if you all below the minimum level. Guaranteed Pension Credit is a means tested benefit that can top a single person's weekly income up to £167.25 or a couple's income up to £255.25, if you're eligible for any premiums they will not included as part of your income and will be paid on top of the guaranteed minimum.

If you do not qualify for the Guaranteed Credit and reached State Pension age before the 6 ^th of April 2016 you can receive Savings Credit, granting you £13.73 weekly for a single person or £15.35 for a couple.

TBD

We will order the Carer's Allowance form and complete it with you. A successful award would result in an annual income of £3439.80, you may work whilst receiving Carer's Allowance provided you do not earn more than £123 per week.

You may also be eligible for the Carer's Premium which, if awarded, would give you an additional £36.85 per week.

For those people not working Income Support is often paid in addition to Carer's Allowance.

TBD

Housing Benefit is a means tested benefit to assist in paying rent for those in receipt of welfare benefit as replacement earnings or are on a low income.

It also includes Temporary Accommodation and Supported Accommodation and is available to all persons regardless of if they are a Council House, Housing Association or Private Tenant.

TBD

Universal Credit is in the process of being rolled out for all new claims with the exception of people with more than three children as the system cannot currently manage these claims. Universal Credit replaces six benefits:

Jobseeker's Allowance (Income Based)
Employment Support Allowance (Income Related)
Income Support
Housing Benefit
Child Tax Credit
Working Tax Credit

Please ask for more information on Universal Credit.

£40.00 for UC50 Capability for work questionnaire completion (Physical & Mental)
£35.00 if only a single part - physical or mental - is required.

Depending on the benefits you qualify for you may also qualify for one or more premiums. Disability premiums are awarded for various different reasons but usually are paid as part of Employment Support Allowance, Jobseeker's Allowance, Income Support or Pension Credit. They also apply in the calculation for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support thereby increasing your award.

The Standard Disability Premium, if awarded, would give you an annual income of £1786.20 for a single person or £2545.40 for a couple.

The Enhanced Disability Premium, if awarded, would give a single person an annual income of £873.60, a couple would receive £1253.20. This is on top of the Standard Disability Premium.

The Severe Disability Premium, if awarded, would give a single person an annual income of £3424.20, for the severe premium couples may be awarded individually if both qualify resulting in up to £6848.40 annually, also on top of the Standard Disability Premium.

TBD

Should you be unsuccessful in any application we have assisted you with, we will review it and if we believe you have been denied wrongly we will continue to work with you on an appeal.

Personal Independence Payment Appeal

This involves an initial reconsideration letter written to the Department for Work and Pensions and, if unsuccessful, lodging an appeal with the Tribunal Service. This includes a written submission to the Tribunal Service as well as advice and guidance on the Tribunal Hearing.

Employment Support Allowance Appeal

This involves an initial reconsideration letter written to the Department for Work and Pensions and, if unsuccessful, lodging an appeal with the Tribunal Service. This includes a written submission to the Tribunal Service as well as advice and guidance on the Tribunal Hearing.

If you have made an application for a benefit prior to learning of us and feel you may have been denied unjustly we can review your case as well and potentially assist you with an appeal.

Reconsideration: £80.00. £30.00 to be paid before work commences and an additional £50.00 following a successful award.

PIP/ESA/UC Appeal: £200.00. £60.00 to be paid before work commences and an additional £140.00 following a successful appeal.

DLA Appeal: £220.00. £65.00 to be paid before work commences and an additional £155.00 following a successful appeal.

I will not accept an appeal case that I feel is unlikely to succeed. I also reserve the right to stop working on a case after seeing the documentation in the appeal bundle if I then feel the appeal will be unsuccessful.

Of the appeals I accept I believe my success rate to be greater than 90%. If I feel an appeal could go over either way the client will be informed and given the option to proceed or not.