Wiltshire Citizens Advice Carers Project Helping Carers with Benefit and Debt issues 14th December 2017

ABOUT OUR PROJECT The Carers Project has been running for 5 years We have a team of 2: 1 full-time caseworker 1 part-time administrator Carers are referred to the project in various ways From Carer Support Wiltshire Self-referral Referral from other agencies i.e. Alzheimers Society Referral from our Core Service at Wiltshire Citizens Advice

THIS IS WHAT WE DO We help clients with Benefit and Debt issues Apply for grants from charities for essential household goods Help with utilities and energy tariffs for example Wessex Water TAP forms We provide advice and information free of charge We do not share information with any other organisations without Carer consent We offer telephone advice, face to face appointments, or Home Visits if Carers cannot get to one of our offices

HELP WITH BENEFITS Maximise income by doing full benefit entitlement checks Completing Sickness and Disability application forms for example PIP, DLA and AA and help with appealing benefit decisions We triage all incoming enquiries to make sure we prioritise cases so that we see Carers with urgent issues first We go out into the community and attend Carers Clinics with partnership organisations We work closely with Carer Support Wiltshire and other agencies to provide the best support for Carers

Universal Credit Wiltshire is now a full service UC area. Most changes of circumstance and all new claims with very few exceptions will trigger a UC claim. Includes carers premium but not carer's benefit Replaces 6 Means Tested Benefit Income Support Job Seekers Allowance Employment and Support Allowance Child Tax Credit Working Tax Credit Housing Benefit

LOOKING AHEAD Closer working links with Adult Social Care and the FAB team to understand how we can best help Carers who come to us for help as a result of increased care charges Offer more direct support to young carers in a place that is comfortable and familiar to them. A location like Chippenham College could be ideal to have an outreach service for young carers to access for help with benefits or debt issues Approach schools to let them know about the Carers Project and to develop a partnership with the Wiltshire healthy schools scheme to help us access young carers in the schools system

HELP WITH DEBT Advice on how to deal with debt issues and provide solutions Prioritise Carers with urgent debt issues i.e priority debts such as rent or council tax arrears Create Financial Statements and budget sheets for Carers to help negotiate with creditors Provide Debt Relief Orders If we cannot help due to high demand on our project we signpost carers to StepChange or the National Debtline

EMERGING ISSUES Enquiries from Carers about financial assessments and their care charges being increased to the extent they cannot afford to pay for essential care As a project we are aware that their are a lot of young carers who are not getting the support they need at present. Referral services tell us that young carers are increasing in numbers

Key Differences Claim and manage your claim online Paid to 1 household member First payment made after 1 month + 1 week from January 2018

Wiltshire Picture 1,855 Universal Credit Households 42 with carers entitlement 40 with limited capability to work Summer 2018 Carer’s Allowance 4,385