NON-RESIDENTIAL CHARGING TOPIC GROUP

FRIDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 2007 AT 9.00AM

Report on Money Advice Unit Activity and Charging

1.Training

The MAU has provided training on benefits for all Community Finance Officers (CFOs). There have been 5 training sessions since April 2006. Further training is planned for October for new CFOs.

2.Referrals for help with benefits

There were 538 direct referrals from ACS to the Money Advice Unit for the year April 06 – 07. Given the MAU’s eligibility criteria, the majority of these will have been for people receiving a domiciliary service.

Since May this year we have received 43 direct and specific referrals from CFOs to MAU for help with claiming income support, and disability living allowance. We have a partnership agreement with The Pensions Service that referrals for pension credit only will be dealt with by TPS staff, by visit or phone. Requests for help with attendance allowance claims are dealt with by the MAU, TPS or the HCC-funded CAB outreach project, depending on relative workloads.

  1. Service-users living in former HCC group homes and hostels

MAU are providing continuing assistance and advice to CFOs re benefit entitlement for this client group.Due to a change in the interpretation of benefit legislation, the MAU were able to assist approximately 260 service-users living in the group homes and hostels that were transferred to Aldwyck in obtaining disability living allowance (DLA). As a consequence of this, Job Centre Plus(JCP) then had the task of adjusting other benefit payments as DLA can trigger additional payments of income support. ACS8 assessments so far indicate that most clients are not yet receiving the correct amount of income support. This has the effect of reducing the charge that HCC can make for services. CFOs are now completing the appropriate forms with MAU guidance. A contact has been established with JCP although there are no guarantees of any preferential treatment for ACS clients. Where identified, MAU complete any new claims referred by CFOs for benefit e.g. income support/disability living allowance.

  1. Technology

MAU are currently in the process of being provided with access to ABACUS. It is anticipated that this and training will be available in October, allowing access to the financial details recorded by the CFOs and thereby reducing the need for collecting the information again. Once electronic case recording (ECR) is fully operational the CFOs will be able to check any financial details collected by MAU.

The CF teamare now also able to refer claims to the MAU via IRIS, enabling them to check the outcomes of any MAU activity. The system will notify the CF Intake team once MAU have closed their involvement and the team will be able to see details of any claims recorded on the MAU screen.

In addition, the DWP is introducing a system called ‘My DWP’ in April 2008 which will allow all claimants (or their representatives with authority) to access details of their current entitlement to benefit. This will allow MAU or CFO staff to check that the details are correct and where appropriate make any claims or notify the DWP of any errors. This will speed up the handling of claims and assessments for the CF Team,as a major problem at present is getting results of claims and knowing what exact entitlement is.

Sheila Bowles

Senior Adviser

Money Advice Unit

070928 Non-Residential Charging Topic Group

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