What we have achieved in 2009-10

Working with our partners at the Pension Service:

When assessing entitlement to Housing Benefit and or Council Tax Benefit the Benefit Team will carry out a check to see if the benefit customer should be claiming additional benefits such as:

• Pension Credit
• Carers Allowance
• Attendance Allowance

Where appropriate a referral is then made to the Pension Service who will then contact the customer.

Carried out a joint Take-Up exercise with the Pension Service

We visited 100 residents in the area offering advice and helping them to make claims. Here are some of the good news stories:

One couple received extra benefits amounting to £309.77 per week.

Another couple didn’t think they would be eligible for Pension Credit because of their savings but we were able to disregard some and they were then entitled to £30.05 per week Pension Credit and a lump sun of £661.10 for a backdated
claim.

We were able to refer another resident to the Royal British Legion for some financial assistance to help buy a new cooker as her cooker had been
condemned as unsafe and had not been in use for a number of months.

Council Tax Benefit Take-Up leaflet

As part of the annual billing process for 2009/10 the Benefit Team sent out their Council Tax Benefit Take-Up leaflet to all households in the East Hampshire district. The leaflet gave advice about how to claim Council Tax Benefit and provided examples of minimum income levels required in order to claim.

Warm Front

During January and February this year the Benefit Team worked in partnership with the Warm Front team and sent out 1775 letters on their behalf to benefit claimants within the district to make them aware of this government-funded scheme. The scheme provides grants for insulation and heating improvements for people who own their home or rent their home from a private landlord and who are in receipt of certain benefits.

Poster Campaign

Designed two Take Up posters one for Housing and Council Tax Benefit and one for Discretionary Housing Payments and distributed them around the district.