Latest news with #Turn2Us
Business Mayor
25-05-2025
- Health
- Business Mayor
'Special rules' can fast-track PIP application and guarantees £110.40 per week
If you've been told you have a life-limiting illness or are nearing the end of life, there are 'special rules' in place to allow you to get tailored support from the government if needed. This includes an expedited process for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) applications, although you'll have to claim it differently than other people. PIP is the primary benefit available for disabled people, but under normal circumstances, according to Turn2Us, it may take approximately 20 weeks or more for a decision on claims. For those with limited time, the DWP's 'special rules' can significantly speed up the process and grant access to the enhanced rate of daily living payments. These applicants are also exempt from the face-to-face assessment typically required as part of the application process. To qualify for these special rules, applicants must satisfy all the following conditions: A medical professional has indicated you may have no more than 12 months to live You are aged 16 or over You are below the state pension age and have not previously received PIP The DWP acknowledges the difficulty in accurately predicting life expectancy. Even if patients do not meet the 12-month criterion, the department suggests: 'If a medical professional has not talked to you about this, you can still ask them to support your claim under the special rules for end of life.' If your application is successful under the special rules, you will qualify for the top rate of the daily living component, which is £110.40 a week. You might also be entitled to the mobility component, which ranges from £29.20 to £77.05 weekly, though this depends on your specific situation and necessities. To apply for PIP under the 'special rules', there are three routes available. Firstly, you can phone the PIP claims line for guidance on the process. Alternatively, secure an SR1 form from a healthcare professional, like a hospital doctor, GP, or registered nurse, who will complete it for you and may hand it to you directly or forward it to the DWP. For those claiming Universal Credit, you can submit the SR1 form and then note in your online journal that you've sent the document. If you are awarded the special rules benefits for three years, the department will reevaluate your claim. Other benefits offering special rules for people nearing the end of life include Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Universal Credit, Attendance Allowance, and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children. READ SOURCE
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How to claim PIP disability benefits as government announces welfare reforms
As the government plans to introduce a series of welfare reforms affecting disability benefit PIP, more questions are being asked about how much people can claim through PIP — and who can get it. PIP, also known as a personal independence payment, is a lifeline for many people dealing with the extra costs of living with a disability. Although applying for PIP can be a complicated and unclear process, with the right information, PIP applicants can navigate the process with confidence. Here you can find out more about PIP, whether you could be eligible for payments, how to apply, and what to do if your claim is rejected. PIP is a welfare benefit that helps adults with the extra costs of living with a health condition or a disability. It replaced the disability living allowance (DLA) in 2013, and is available for those aged between 16 and state pension age. The payments can help with the extra costs of living with a disability or a long-term health condition, like higher heating bills, special diets, equipment or taxi fares. For more information, visit the website. You can get PIP if: You're 16 or over You have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability You have difficulty doing everyday tasks or getting around You expect the difficulties to last for at least 12 months from when they started You must also be under state pension age if you've not received PIP before. If you live in Scotland, you need to apply for adult disability payment (ADP) instead. PIP payments are broken down into weekly rates, with a lower and a higher weekly rate. An assessor at the DWP will look into your application and determine your award. As of April 2025, the standard weekly payment for daily living support is £73.90 a week, and the enhanced rate is £110.40. The standard weekly payment for mobility support is £29.20 a week, and the enhanced rate is £77.05. Type of PIP Standard rate Enhanced rate £73.90 £110.40 £29.20 £77.05 PIP is tax free. Unlike some other benefits, the amount you get is not affected by your income or savings. To apply for PIP, you can: Start your claim by phone Start your claim by post In some areas, start your claim online Need some more guidance on filling out your application? Turn2Us's PIP helper tool can help you track your application process and set up reminders to help you navigate the process. It's also been made by people who have applied for PIP themselves. Further information from the government on how to claim PIP can be found here. If you live in Northern Ireland, follow the claim process outlined here. If you live in Scotland, you need to apply for the adult disability payment (ADP) instead. (If you have a terminal illness, you claim PIP in a different way. More information on that can be found here.) In some cases, you might be invited to an assessment as part of your application. This is to learn more about: How your condition affects your daily living and mobility tasks Any treatments you've had or will have You may also be asked to do some simple movements to show how you carry out activities. The assessment can be over the phone, on a video call, or in person. Can I get reimbursed? Expand The cost of the journey to and from your home to the assessment centre, parking and fuel can be reimbursed. If you take someone with you to the assessment, their travel costs can be reimbursed but only if they travel with you. If you're worried about being assessed over the phone, you can have someone aged 16 or over on the call with you. They can take part in discussions and take notes. For more information on how to prepare for the assessment process, visit Citizens Advice here. You will receive a letter letting you know the outcome of your PIP application. This will let you know if your application has been accepted or rejected, how much you're entitled to, and when your claim ends. If you are successful, the letter will also tell you what day your first payment will arrive, and what day of the week you'll be paid. This may change on bank holidays, such as over the festive period. You should expect this around 28 days after your assessment, although due to delays, it could arrive later. You will be paid PIP every four weeks. Make sure you: Check when your claim ends: Check your award is backdated: Keep your letter safe Notify your other benefits that you're now getting PIP
The Sun
19-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Thousands on Universal Credit wake up to surprise DWP payments this week
THOUSANDS of Brits on Universal Credit could see an early DWP payment drop into their accounts this week. The Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed that thousands of people will get their money ahead of schedule due to the Spring bank holiday falling on Monday, May 26. Instead of waiting until after the long weekend, payments due on the 26th will now land this week on Friday, May 23 – giving claimants a much-needed cash boost just before the break. This applies to a range of benefits, including the state pension, child benefit, PIP, and Universal Credit. It's important to remember that not everyone will get paid early – it only affects those whose usual payment date falls on the bank holiday Monday. If your regular payday isn't impacted, your money will arrive as normal. The DWP makes early payments during bank holidays, Easter, and Christmas to make sure claimants aren't left waiting for vital support. Are you missing out on benefits? YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to Charity Turn2Us' benefits calculator works out what you could get. Entitledto's free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit. and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data. You can use Policy in Practice's calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs. Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for. I'm a mum-of-5 on £1.5K Universal Credit per month - people think I'm popping kids out to get 'lots of money' but I still have to use food banks - its embarrassing WHO'S GETTING PAID EARLY? It is not just those on Universal Credit that will get paid early. Twelve benefits are affected by this May's date change: Universal Credit State Pension Child Benefit Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Attendance Allowance Carer's Allowance Disability Living Allowance (DLA) Income Support Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) Pension Credit Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Guardian's Allowance If you're due money from any of these and your payment date is Monday, May 26, it should arrive on Friday, May 23 instead. HAVEN'T BEEN PAID? If your payment hasn't landed when expected, you can contact the DWP helpline on 0800 328 5644. You can also raise a complaint online if your payment is late or missing. For more info on your specific benefit and payment dates, visit or speak to your local Jobcentre Plus. And while an early deposit might be welcome, experts are urging people to budget carefully, as the next payment will still land on its usual date – leaving a longer gap than usual between payouts. Am I entitled to Universal Credit? According to the GOV website, if you're on a low income or need help with your living costs, then you could be entitled to Universal Credit. To claim, you must live in the UK, be aged 18 or over (with some exceptions if you're 15 to 17), be under State Pension age, and have £16,000 or less in money, savings and investments. Other circumstances are if you are out of work, or unable to work, for example because of a health condition. UPCOMING BENEFIT CHANGES Thousands of households on old-style legacy benefits are being moved to Universal Credit via Managed Migration. The managed migration process officially began back in July 2022 after a successful pilot in July 2019. Since then, households receiving one of five legacy benefits, have been receiving postal notifications outlining the steps required to transition to Universal Credit. Upon receiving a migration letter, claimants are given up to three months to make the switch. Failure to act within this timeframe could result in the loss of existing benefits. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has already closed new claims for four legacy benefits - tax credits, income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance, and housing benefit. Households still receiving income-related employment and support allowance (ESA) are now being urged to make the move to Universal Credit. ESA provides financial support for those unable to work due to illness or disability. Initially, the government planned to transfer all ESA claimants to Universal Credit by the end of 2028. However, this deadline has since been brought forward to March 2026. As well as benefit calculators, anyone moving from Tax Credits to Universal Credit can find help in a number of ways. There's also a free service called Help to Claim from Citizen's Advice: England: 0800 144 8 444 Scotland: 0800 023 2581 Wales: 08000 241 220 You can also get help online from advisers at Will I be better off on Universal Credit? ANALYSIS by James Flanders, The Sun's Chief Consumer Reporter: Around 1.4million people on legacy benefits will be better off after switching to Universal Credit, according to the government. A further 300,000 would see no change in payments, while around 900,000 would be worse off under Universal Credit. Of these, around 600,000 can get top-up payments (transitional protection) if they move under the managed migration process, so they don't lose out on cash immediately. The majority of those - around 400,000 - are claiming employment support allowance (ESA). Around 100,000 are on tax credits, while fewer than 50,000 each on other legacy benefits are expected to be affected. Those who move voluntarily and are worse off won't get these top-up payments and could lose cash. Those who miss the managed migration deadline and later make a claim may not get transitional protection. The clock starts ticking on the three-month countdown from the date of the first letter, and reminders are sent via post and text message. There is a one-month grace period after this, during which any claim to Universal Credit is backdated, and transitional protection can still be awarded. Examples of those who may be entitled to less on Universal Credit include: Households getting ESA and the severe disability premium and enhanced disability premium Households with the lower disabled child addition on legacy benefits Self-employed households who are subject to the Minimum Income Floor after the 12-month grace period has ended In-work households that worked a specific number of hours (e.g. lone parent working 16 hours claiming working tax credits Households receiving tax credits with savings of more than £6,000 (and up to £16,000) Either way, if these households don't switch in the future, they risk missing out on any future benefit increase and seeing payments frozen.
The Sun
29-04-2025
- Business
- The Sun
DWP confirms 12 benefits including Universal Credit & State Pension to be paid early this week – check the exact date
MILLIONS of people receiving benefits, including Universal Credit and State Pension, be paid early this week. This is because of the Early May bank holiday which falls next week on Monday, May 5. 1 Because of this, some benefit payments due on that day will be made early on Friday, May 2. It's important to note that benefit payment dates vary depending on when you first applied and when your claim was approved, so not everyone will be affected. The next bank holiday expected this month will fall on Monday, May 26 for the Spring Bank Holiday. Twelve major benefits are affected by these changes. Payments will be made early (on Friday) to avoid delays over the long weekend. The benefits include: Attendance Allowance Carer's Allowance Child Benefit Disability Living Allowance Employment and Support Allowance Income Support Jobseeker's Allowance Pension Credit Personal Independence Payment (PIP) State Pension Tax Credits (e.g. Working Tax Credit) Universal Credit This advance payment ensures that recipients are not left short over the bank holiday. However, it also means you'll need to budget carefully, as your next payment will still be on its usual date. Three million workers to get £1,400 a year pay rise in days, Rachel Reeves confirms in Spring Statement If your benefit payment hasn't arrived as expected, contact the DWP helpline on 0800 328 5644. Benefits shake-up Alongside these scheduling changes, a number of benefit system reforms are on the horizon. Last month, the government announced plans to merge Jobseeker's Allowance with Employment and Support Allowance. The move aims to provide more financial support to those with a work history. There are also proposed changes to the eligibility criteria for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Under the new rules, to qualify for the £105 weekly payment, claimants must score at least four points in a single daily living activity during their assessment. Currently, claimants can qualify with a lower overall score spread across multiple activities. These new requirements are expected to come into effect sometime next year. Stay informed and check your eligibility to ensure you don't miss out on financial support. Changes to Universal Credit Universal Credit is replacing six benefits under the old welfare system, commonly called legacy benefits. They are: Working Tax Credit Child Tax Credit Income-based Jobseeker's allowance Income support Income-related employment and support allowance Housing Benefit. If you're on any of these benefits now, you can choose to move over - but you might not be better off. You should consider carefully what moving over means for your money, as you can't move back once you're on Universal Credit. Using an online benefits calculator can help you compare and are free and easy to use from charities such as Turn2Us and EntitledTo, and it's also worth asking them for advice. You may be moved over to Universal Credit if you have a change in circumstances, like moving home, a change in working hours or having a baby. But eventually, everyone will be moved over to Universal Credit.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Millions of DWP benefit claimants to notice changes to payments from tomorrow
Millions of benefit claimants will begin to notice higher payments in their bank accounts from tomorrow, Monday, April 7. Annual increases to a range of benefits, including Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and Employment and Support Allowance, are now coming into effect at the start of the new financial year. It will bring a boost to millions of low-income households. READ MORE: Keir Starmer makes state pension triple lock statement Get our best money saving tips and hacks by signing up to our newsletter And it will bring some relief for hard-up Brits after a number of bills went up at the start of April, including energy, council tax, water and broadband, inflicting more cost of living misery. Far from lazy stereotypes about scroungers, some 40% of Universal Credit claimants are in work but don't earn enough to get by. The Universal Credit rate for single people aged 25 or over will go from £393.45 to £400.14. PIP will increase to a maximum of £187 a week. Annual increases to benefits help ensure payments keep pace with inflation. However, it comes at a time when the Government is targeting people on disability benefits in order to make savings. PIP and health-related elements of Universal Credit are being cut from next year. Upcoming cuts do not effect this April's increases to benefits. Support service Turn 2 Us said: "If you receive welfare benefits such as Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Carer's Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit or Jobseeker's Allowance, your payments will rise by 1.7%. "The state pension will also be uprated by 4.1%, rising from £221.20 to £230.25. "Benefit claimants do not need to do anything as these payments will automatically increase."
