Welfare Benefits and Financial Planning
Below are a series of guidance documents relating to welfare benefits, these explain how to complete claim forms effectively and the appeals and tribunal process. The law changes regularly so information contained within is for guidance only and should not be treated as a definitive source of benefit law.
- What Happens at a First Tier Tribunal
- The Work Capability Assessment
- The Appeals Process
- Form Filling
- Effective Representation
- Effective evidence
We have developed a podcast, guides and top tips in relation to Universal Credit. To listen to the podcast or read the guides, click the links below:
- What is Universal Credit – The Basic Facts
- Universal Credit – The Basics
- Universal Credit – Top Tips
In addition to our own guidance documents there are a number of useful websites and organisations, listed below, that can also provide you with information and support.
- Disability Rights UK http://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/
- Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) http://www.cpag.org.uk/
- Gateway to Birmingham Advice Services (GBAS) https://birminghamadviceservices.org.uk/
- Birmingham Community Law Centre (in relation to upper tribunals) http://birminghamclc.org.uk/
- Rights Net (Advisors only) http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/
- Turn to Us https://www.turn2us.org.uk/
Law for Life Advisory Tools
- User-friendly guide to challenging a PIP decision – available here: http://www.advicenow.org.uk/guides/how-win-pip-appeal
- Interactive tool to help claimants decide if they should ask for a mandatory reconsideration and then helps them write the letter http://www.advicenow.org.uk/pip-tool
seAp Advocacy – Online Help to Prepare for Benefits Assessments
- Digital service from seAp advocacy aimed at helping people going through the process of applying for disability related benefits: www.c-app.org.uk
Money Advice
Loan Sharks and Illegal Money Lending
Produced by the England Illegal Money Lending Team this short film warns of the dangers of illegal money lenders. The film is available in several languages. Click on the links below to watch the film.
