Mind Your Money!

Mind in Harrows Welfare Bulletin 2nd Issue - March 2014

Welcome to 2nd Issue of our Welfare
Bulletin
The Government's Welfare Reform Act
continues to have a big impact on those
who receive benefits, including people
experiencing mental health problems and
their carers. This second bulletin aims to
make sure you are prepared for these
changes by providing updated information
since our last bulletin in July 2013,
including where to get advice if you need
it. As this bulletin is for people
experiencing mental health problems, we
focus on welfare changes which could
affect you.
HOUSING RELATED
Reduction in Council Tax Support from
1 April 2014
Council Tax Benefit was replaced with the
new Council Tax Support Scheme from
April 2013. This means that everybody of
working age has to now pay something
towards their Council Tax even if you
receive Income Support, Job Seekers
Allowance or Employment Support
Allowance. From April 2014 the amount
these applicants have to pay will increase.
If you are of working-age then you will
have to pay at least 30% of your Council
Tax bill instead of the current amout of
22.5%. Your Council Tax Support will be
worked out based on 70% of the amount
you owe in Council Tax for 2014/15.
If you have a disability or if you have a
dependant with a disability who lives with
you, then you will have to pay at least 14%
of your Council Tax bill instead of the
current amount of 10%.

Your Council Tax Support will be worked

out based on 86 % of the amount you owe
in Council Tax payments in 2014/15.
Pensioners are not affected by these
changes.
Pensioners and people who are exempt
from paying Council Tax because they
meet the Occupier Status will not be
affected by these changes. If you want to
find out whether you meet the Occupier
Status visit
www.harrow.gov.uk/info/200173/exemption
s/586/exemptions_status_of_the_occupier
Benefit Cap
The Benefit Cap is a limit to the amount of
benefits working age households can
receive. The total income from benefits will
be restricted for out of work households:
A single person will be restricted to
350 a week
A couple/lone parent/family to 500
a week.
All pensioners will be exempt from the cap
as will working age households in receipt of
the following benefits:
Working Tax Credit
Disability Living Allowance
Attendance Allowance
ESA support component
War Widows and Widowers
pension.

Housing Benefit is limited where

property is under-occupied
From 1st April 2013, working age
households in the social rented sector
(Council and Housing Association) have
had Housing Benefit reduced if they have
one or more spare rooms. The reduction is
14% of the eligible rent used to work out
Housing Benefit for one spare room and
25% for two or more.
A loophole in the legislation was recently
identified that meant if people have been
receiving Housing Benefit continuously
since 1996, are living in either a Council or
Housing Association property, and have
been affected by the size criteria then they
may be entitled to more Housing Benefit.
The legislation has now been amended
and the size restriction will be reapplied to
any affected households from 3rd March
2014. The Council will write to anyone
they have identified who meet the above
criteria.
If you want to understand the criteria for
spare bedrooms please visit
http://www.harrow.gov.uk/info/200003/hou
sing_policies_and_planning_for_housing/6
29/welfare_reforms_affecting_housing
EMPLOYMENT RELATED
Employment Support Allowance
Employment Support Allowance has
replaced Incapacity Benefit. For people
experiencing mental health problems, the
quickest way to apply for Employment
Support Allowance is by phone: 0800 055
6688
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. You can
also post form ESA1 to your local
Jobcentre Plus office. The interactive
version of form ESA1 can be filled out on
a computer. For further info visit:
www.mind.org.uk/campaigns_and_issues/
policy_and_issues/making_benefits_fairer
welfare_reform/where_you_can_find_help

OTHER CHANGES TO WELFARE

BENEFITS
Personal Independence Payment-PIP
The Government is replacing Disability
Living Allowance (DLA) with a new benefit
called Personal Independence Payment
(PIP). Many people with mental health
problems are supported by DLA (and many
more should be but havent applied). The
eligibility threshold for PIP will be higher
than for DLA so national Mind are
concerned that many DLA claimants will
lose out when they are reassessed and
new applicants will struggle to access the
benefit.
PIP has been open to new applicants since
Spring 2013 but in October 2013 some
people on DLA were starting to be called in
for a reassessment to see if they are
eligible for PIP. This usually includes a
face-to-face assessment (similar to the
WCA) so we are concerned about how
people with mental health problems will find
this.
Although national Mind are very concerned
about the switch to PIP, there will be
opportunities to try to show what impact the
change is having on people and make sure
that the new benefit works as well as
possible for people with mental health
problems. We need the strongest evidence
we can collect to ensure that our concerns
are taken seriously.
You can tell national Mind about your
experiences with the PIP application at
www.mind.org.uk/benefits and click on the
PIP monitoring link.
New claims for PIP
Since June 2013 new claims have to be
made for PIP rather than DLA. The
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
want people to start a claim for PIP by
phone. To make a claim, phone them on
the PIP new claims phone line. Telephone:
0800 055 6688 or 0800 917 2222.
Textphone: 0800 023 4888 Monday to
Friday, 8am to 6pm

Existing Disability Living Allowance

(DLA) claimants
PIP is being introduced in stages over a
number of years for existing DLA
claimants.
From October 2013 individuals have been
invited to claim PIP if they:
report a change in their care or
mobility needs
reach the end of an existing award
of DLA and havent already
received a DLA renewal letter
are approaching the age of 16,
unless they are terminally ill
We do not yet know when people in
Harrow who already receive DLA will be
invited by DWP to make a claim for PIP.
DWP will write to individuals in plenty of
time when they need to claim PIP. If DWP
write to you, you must contact DWP
immediately. DWP expect to have
contacted everyone who needs to claim
PIP by late 2017.
Universal Credit
Universal Credit is a new single payment
social security benefit being launched by
the Department of Work and Pensions
(DWP). Universal Credit will be gradually
rolled out to all benefit claimants over the
next couple of years. It will replace most
means-tested benefits including income
based JSA and ESA, income support,
housing benefit, working tax credit and
child tax credit.
Universal Credit started to be introduced
in stages from April 2013. It is expected to
be available in each part of Great Britain
during 2016. Harrow doesnt currently
expect to start rolling out Universal Credit
for at least two more years. The DWP will
contact anyone already in receipt of
benefits when it is time for them to make a
claim.
Habitual Residence Test - Changes
2014
Reforms around 'migrant access to
benefits' have been introduced from 1
January 2014.

New Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) claims

made by European Economic Area (EEA)
jobseekers and retained workers will be
time-limited to 6 months unless they can
demonstrate they are actively seeking work
and have a genuine prospect of work.
EEA jobseekers (or a British national
returning from more than a short period
abroad) will be unable to access JSA until
they have been resident in the UK for 3
months.
For full details about these changes see the
Turn2Us Habitual Residence Test
information sheet:
http://www.turn2us.org.uk/information__res
ources/benefits/migrants/habitual_residenc
e_test_hrt.aspx
CONCESSIONARY TRAVEL
ENTITLEMENTS
For an application form and guidance notes
for all Harrow Council concessionary travel
entitlements call Access Harrow on
telephone
020 8901 2680 or visit:
http://www.harrow.gov.uk/info/200034/
disabilities
Freedom Pass
Discretionary Freedom Pass
Harrow residents experiencing mental
health problems can apply for the
Discretionary Freedom Pass if they meet
certain eligibility criteria set locally by
Harrow Council. Once you have sent in
your application form, a Council contractor
called Access Independent will assess your
application against the eligibility criteria.
National Disabled Persons Freedom
Pass
This is a legal entitlement if you meet the
eligibility criteria.
Automatic Eligibility Criteria
Harrow residents are automatically entitled
to apply for a National Disabled Persons
Freedom Pass if they are
In receipt of the higher rate mobility
component of DLA
In receipt of War Pensioners
Mobility Supplement

Assessed Eligibility Criteria

Under Section 92 of the Road Traffic Act
1988, people with a severe mental
disorder and assessed not fit to drive may
be eligible for National Disabled Persons
Freedom Pass, but not on the grounds of
persistent misuse of drugs or alcohol. It is
not a condition of entitlement that the
person should apply for and be refused a
driving license. You can provide evidence
from your consultant psychiatrist to state
that you would be refused a licence should
you apply.
Legal Aid at Tribunals
From 1st April 2013 there is no legal aid for
welfare benefit advice nor for application
to the First-tier Tribunal for permission to
appeal a decision of the First-tier Tribunal
to the Upper Tribunal. Legal aid will still be
available for appeals in the Upper Tribunal
and higher courts and for exceptional
cases.
Mandatory Reconsideration
Under the new rules, people who want to
dispute the outcome of their Work
Capability Assessment will have to go
through a reconsideration process before
they are allowed to appeal. They will not
receive Employment and Support
Allowance during this period. Instead, they
will either have to survive without support
or try to go onto Jobseekers Allowance,
which is inappropriate for many people.
National Mind wants as many MPs as
possible to hear about this situation and
sign a Parliamentary petition to reinstate
this support!
To ask your MP to support people
disputing a WCA, click on the Mandatory
Reconsideration link at
www.mind.org.uk/benefits.
Who Benefits?
The negative portrayal of people
supported by benefits has stigmatised
millions of people in real need of support,
and distorted public attitudes.
This is why national Mind has helped to
set up the Who Benefits? campaign,
which is calling for a better debate about
benefits.
National Mind would like to hear your
story about why you have needed support
and what it has meant to you. If you

havent needed support from benefits you

can still support the campaign.
For more information visit
www.whobenefits.org.uk
Want to find out more about national
Minds campaign work?
You can sign up to receive regular updates
on our campaigns about benefits at
www.mind.org.uk/benefits.
HARROW HELP SCHEME HARROW
COUNCIL
Harrow Council is able to provide in kind
assistance that can help Harrow residents
who are experiencing a financial crisis if
they meet certain eligibility criteria:
Emergency Relief Scheme
This fund is designed to provide short term
in kind support to people who are
experiencing a risk to their health or safety
because of an emergency situation. To find
out if you meet the criteria and to make an
application visit www.harrow.gov.uk/
emergencyreliefscheme
or telephone 020 8416 8266
Discretionary Housing Payments
Discretionary Housing Payment provides
additional assistance with housing costs to
people experiencing hardship including
those affected by Welfare Reform and who
suffer with mental health issues. To find
out if you meet the criteria and to make an
application visit
www.harrow.gov.uk/info/100001/benefits_a
nd_council_tax/249/discretionary_housing_
payments
or telephone 020 8416 8266.
Harrow Council Vulnerable Adults Debt
Policy
If you are experiencing mental health
problems and struggling to manage your
finances, the Council has a policy to take
into account your personal circumstances if
you owe the Council money.
Directory of Support Services
If you are struggling to make your Council
Tax payments or in other ways financially,
please visit www.harrow.gov.uk/help where
you will be able to find, organisations that
may be able to help you.

SOURCES OF ADVICE OR INFO

MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY

SERVICES

GENERAL WELFARE RIGHTS ADVICE

Harrow Council
To book an appointment for any of the
previous Council services.
Tel: 020 8901 2616 or book online
www.harrow.gov.uk/benefits
Harrow CAB
www.harrowcab.org.uk
Tel: 020 8427 9477
advice@harrowcab.org.uk
Sangat Centre
www.sangatcentre.org/
Tel: 020 8427 06590
info@sangat.org.uk
8427
Paiwand Afghan Association
www.paiwand.com/
Tel: 020 8905 8770
info@paiwand.com
Brent Irish Advisory Services
Accessible to Harrow residents
www.biasbrent.co.uk/
Tel: 020 8459 6655 info@biasbrent.co.uk
Harrow Law Centre
www.harrowlawcentre.org.uk/
T: 020 8863 4355
info@harrowlawcentre.org.uk
HOUSING RELATED
Harrow Council - Housing Advice
Service
Tel: 020 8424 1093
housingadvice@harrow.gov.uk
Shelter
http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/ad
vice_services_directory
Tel: 0808 800 4444
info@shelter.org.uk

Loud & Clear

www.loudandclear.org/services/advocacyin
harrow/
Tel: 020 8900 2221
Harrow Association of Disabled People
(HAD)
www.had.org.uk/
Tel: 020 8861 9920
v.robinson@had.org.uk
CONCESSIONARY TRAVEL
ENTITLEMENTS
Harrow Council
You can download guidance or the
application form for any of the following
types of concessionary travel: Blue Badge,
Disabled Persons Freedom Pass,
Discretionary Freedom Pass by visiting
http://www.harrow.gov.uk/info/200072/parki
ng/835/applying_for_a_disabled_person_s_
parking_space and
http://www.harrow.gov.uk/info/200034/disab
ilities/527/concessionary_travel or by
contacting
Harrow Concessionary Travel
PO Box 592 Civic Centre, Station Road,
Harrow. HA1 9BN
Tel: 020 8901 2680
Mind in Harrow Mental Health
Information Helpline
www.mindinharrow.org.uk
If you or someone you care for have mental
health issues you can contact Mind in
Harrow who provide one-to-one support
and signposting. There is additional
information on our online directory
http://directory.mindinharrow.org.uk/Pages/
Subjects.aspx
Tel: 020 8426 0929
info@mindinharrow.org.uk

Harrow Mental Health Directory

The Directory has easy to use searches for
over 100 Harrow services, including
counselling/therapy, specialist NHS
services, minority ethnic community
organisations, support for carers, benefits &
housing and self-help groups.

Trying to find services in Harrow which

could help you, a friend or a member
of your family?
Take a look at
Harrow Mental Health
Directory Online
Please visit
http://directory.mindinharrow.org.uk/
Pages/Subjects.aspx

The Directory includes over 20 Harrow

factsheets on topics such as Finding a
Counsellor or Therapist, Help in a Crisis,
Schizophrenia, Sleeping Problems, Selfharm and Depression.
Also, if you can't find what you are seeking
in Harrow, the Directory has around 100
London or national organisations which
may be able to help.