Benefits Support

Attendance Allowance (AA)
Bereavement benefits (BB)
Bereavement Support Payment (BSP)
Carer’s Allowance (CA)
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) 
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Housing Benefit (HB)
HB flowsIncapacity Benefit (IB)
Income Support (IS)
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB)
Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
Pension Credit (PC)
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA)
State Pension (SP)
Universal Credit (UC)
Widow’s Benefit (WB)

We cover queries relating to any welfare benefit and for any age group. This includes those administered by:

• Department for Work and Pensions - such as PIP, ESA, Universal Credit
• Pension Service - such as Pension Credit
• Local authority - such as Council Tax Reduction/Support
• HMRC - Tax Credits
  

We can support with any benefit-related query, but most commonly we deal with checking benefit entitlement, assistance to make new claims, challenging benefits decisions via mandatory reconsiderations and appeals.

Call our hub on 01228 317010 to leave your details. A member of the hub team will take contact details and a summary of the support you need. If you prefer to make initial contact via email, you can do so my messaging us with the same details to [email protected]

One of our Benefits Coordinators will then get back in touch with you to determine the best way to support you - this could be an in-person appointment, or telephone or email advice. Please note there are times when demand for our service is very high, and it can sometimes take a week or more for us to get back to you.

If you are wanting to check your entitlement to benefits, it will help us if you can gather the information we need - this includes details of any income, any savings/capital, rent or mortgage costs, and your council tax figure.

If you are wanting support with a PIP form, you may want to try to call Department for Work and Pensions on the number on the front of your form (0800 121 44 33) - they can add a 2-week extension to the due date of the form whilst you await our support. It can also help to complete the initial sections of the form asking for basic information and make a list of any current medication.

If you are wanting our help to challenge a decision, it can be helpful to consider gathering evidence which can support this process - for example copies of recent medical reports, or a letter from your GP, nurse or carer.

If you have a blue badge you can park on the double yellow lines directly outside for a maximum of 3 hours. You will need to display the time of arrival. We also have one disabled parking bay which is possible to reserve on a first come first-served basis. Please ask your adviser about this option in advance of your appointment.