Maximise your income

Are you getting everything you’re

entitled to? If you’re not sure, make

an appointment with us for a bene-

fit check.

The Scottish Parliament Information

Centre estimates that billions of

pounds worth of state benefits and

tax credits remain unclaimed every

year.

In addition to state benefits, there

are other ways to maximise your

income, for example:

Take in a lodger.

Ask our grown-up children

who live with you to con-

tribute to the bills.

Switch services. You may

not be getting the best

deals for your insurance,

phone, broadband, elec-

tricity or gas suppliers. Ask

us for advice.

Set up Direct Debits for

your bills, to avoid late-

payment charges and get

discounts on some utility

bills.

Some people find it difficult to open

a standard current account, whilst

others may be reluctant to open one

for fear of getting into debt due to

bank charges.

You may not be aware that, since 1

January 2016, new basic bank ac-

counts have been made available to

everyone and are free of all charg-

es. These accounts offer no credit

card and no overdraft to avoid the

risk of debt.

They are particularly useful for those

who don’t already have a bank

account, and those who can’t use

their existing account due to finan-

cial difficulty.

These accounts give you a debit card

so you can make payments in shops

and online, access the ATM network

and set up direct debits.

Ten banking groups offer these fee-

free accounts: Barclays, the Co-

operative Bank, HSBC, Lloyds Bank-

ing Group (Bank of Scotland, Halifax

and Lloyds), Clydesdale Bank and

Yorkshire Bank, Nationwide, RBS

Group (NatWest, Royal Bank of

Scotland and Ulster Bank), Santan-

der, TSB and Virgin Money.

You will need a form of ID to open a

basic bank account but benefit

entitlement letters often suffice if

you don’t have a passport.

If you don’t already have one, open-

ing a bank account is a good idea

given that the Government has

made bank accounts a requirement

for all claimants of the new benefit,

Universal Credit, which aims to

replace all means-tested benefits

within the coming years.

Basic Bank Accounts

Community Help & Advice

Initiative (CHAI)

ELS House, 555 Gorgie Road

Edinburgh EH11 3LE

Phone: 0131 442 1009 Email: chai@chaiedinburgh.org.uk Web: www.chaiedinburgh.org.uk Scottish Charity No. SC. 027594

July 2017 Volume 1, Issue 1

ABOUT US

We are a registered

Scottish charity providing

free and independent

advice to people affected

by housing, debt and

benefit issues in Edin-

burgh and Midlothian.

Our new Financial Inclu-

sion and Capability Ser-

vice (FICS) Project aims

to lift individuals out of

financial hardship to

prevent the use of illegal

and unaffordable sources

of credit.

The project is funded by

Trading Standards and is

delivered by CHAI in

conjunction with NHS

Lothian.

December 2017 Factsheet # 1

@chaiedinburgh

Financial Inclusion & Capability Service

Newsletter

There is a lot of false information or ‘myths’ out there about benefits, housing and council

tax, which we have found to be harmful to people, causing them unnecessary stress and

worry and leading to benefit problems. Read on and let’s debunk those myths!

Benefits

“The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP/’Bru’), HMRC (the taxman/tax credits

office) and the Council Housing Benefit Department all communicate so if you tell one

of them about a change in your circumstances (e.g. that you’ve stopped signing on, started

or stopped a job, or had a pay increase), they’ll tell the others.”

The DWP, the Council and HMRC don’t share information. It is your duty

to report any change in circumstances to each of them.

“If you are a Council tenant, you can report your changes in circumstances to your

Housing Officer for your Housing Benefit to be updated.”

You must contact the Revenues and Benefits section of the Council to

notify your changes in circumstances. Don’t just speak to the receptionist

of the local Council Office either. Hand in a letter to Revenues and Bene-

fits and ask for a receipt, or email them at incomeandbene-

fits@edinburgh.gov.uk, or phone them on 0131 608 1111.

“You can’t claim Housing Benefit if you have rent arrears.”

You can claim Housing Benefit even if you have rent arrears, if you quali-

fy based on your income. What you cannot get is Discretionary Housing

Payment to pay off your rent arrears. If you are in arrears, seek help to

appeal any gaps in your housing benefit and arrange an affordable repay-

ment plan to repay your arrears.

“You can’t claim Housing Benefit if you are working.”

You may be able to get some Housing Benefit even if you are working

depending on your wages. How much Housing Benefit you’ll get is deter-

mined by your earnings.

“Non-dependant charges won’t apply to your Housing Benefit if your adult children are

not working.”

Deductions will apply to your Housing Benefit even if your adult children

or other non-dependants who live with you (excluding your partner)

have no benefit income and no earnings. There are exemptions: if your

non-dependant is in full time education or if they are under 25 and on

means-tested benefits such as JSA.

January 2018

Funded by:

Issue # 4

@CHAI Tel. 0131 442 1009

Financial Inclusion & Capability Service Newsletter—Issue 4 Page 2

For benefit advice, call us on 0131 442 1009

Benefit Sanctions

“You cannot challenge a benefit sanction.”

You can appeal any sanction—the first stage is to ask the DWP

to reconsider their decision and give reasons why. Ask us for help. While the appeal is being pro-

cessed, apply to your local JobCentre for Hardship Payments and to the Council’s Scottish Wel-

fare Fund for a Crisis Grant.

“When you’re sanctioned you stop being eligible for housing benefit.”

Your Housing Benefit will be stopped or ‘suspended’ during the sanction. It does not mean you

stop being entitled to Housing Benefit; it’s just that the Council must re-assess your income.

Write to the Council to let them know you have no other income or savings, and give them a

bank statement for the period of the sanction, so they reinstate your Housing Benefit.

Housing

“If your landlord wants to evict you, they just need to send you a letter.”

Landlords must follow specific procedures and issue certain documents, depending on your

type of tenancy, before they can legally evict you. Ask us for help to check whether the eviction

would be legal.

“You don’t have to pay any rent if you are on benefits such as JSA, ESA, Income Support.”

You may have to pay some rent even if you are on means-tested benefits, for example due to a

non-dependant deduction if you have adult relatives living with you, or due to a Housing Benefit

overpayment.

Council Tax

“You don’t have to pay any council tax if you are on benefits such as JSA, ESA, Income Support.”

In Scotland, water and sewerage charges are collected through council tax. Even if you get the

maximum council tax reduction, you will still need to pay some money to the council every

month for these water charges.

@chaiedinburgh