The Welfare Benefits System

There are an estimated 10.6 million carers in the UK that's 1 in 5 adults with 600 people a day having to leave their job to provide full time unpaid care for a loved one or relative. Being a carer isn't easy. Despite carers saving the government over £350 million a day in costs, just under half of carers in the UK are living in poverty and 36% of carers in a recent survey said not knowing what services and support were available were a barrier to getting the right support. Carers need our help now more than ever!

The process of claiming benefits is not always an easy one, and sadly not everyone is given the award they deserve. Records show that 1 in 4 PIP (Personal Independence Payments) decisions go unchallenged due to the stress of the process. This course will provide you with the practical tools, tactics, insight and skills to get the best outcomes for people needing support with challenging DWP decisions.

This highly interactive series of Financial Fitness workshops is designed to help you get your money in shape. If you are struggling to make ends meet, or you think you would benefit from a fresh look at your finances, these workshops are tailor-made for you. If it's not for you personally, but you're looking for a way to help your customers, your employees or members of your community to get in control of their budgets and feel more positive about money.

This 4 hour training course is delivered through a highly interactive online session, and is particularly geared to professionals who are working with families that may need to make a claim, but aren’t sure where to start. By having a detailed understanding of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children you and your team can reduce the pressure on parents and health professionals trying to tackle the 40 page application form and improve the likelihood of them making a successful claim.

This PIP training course is designed to help the people and organisations that are providing social welfare support. In just five hours you will be helped to really understand the key drivers for PIP assessments and be capable of helping your clients to navigate the application process to give them the highest possible chance of getting their full benefit entitlement first time round. Through a combination of case studies, exercises, quizzes and insights from our welfare benefits ‘expert in the room, you will be guided through the complexities of PIP. This course is usually delivered in a virtual classroom format, and we offer both in-house and open public sessions.

Since the introduction of Universal Credit and PIP in 2013 with the objective of simplifying the welfare state there are still multiple legacy benefits that are being claimed by millions of people. This short course provides newcomers to welfare benefits with an overview of 16 welfare benefits that are currently being claimed in the UK. Invaluable for anyone working in a welfare-related role.

This highly interactive, quality accredited Universal Credit training course has been designed to help support organisations involved in all aspects of social welfare to get to grips with Universal Credit. You will learn about the 6 elements of UC and when they apply, the challenges, risks and practical steps involved in making and managing a claim, and what can happen if things don’t quite go to plan. This course is usually delivered in a virtual classroom format, and we offer both in-house and open public sessions.

Maintaining a Universal Credit claim can also be a challenge especially if you suffer from addiction, are a mixed age couple or have just got out of prison. This course demonstrates how to support people with complex needs on Universal Credit. Our advanced Universal Credit Course deep dives into the more technical aspects of the welfare benefit.

The direct link between housing and homelessness matters and physical and mental health makes housing a critical factor in achieving a life well lived. A safe, secure roof over their heads is the linchpin in families being able to thrive but, for many, significant instability comes from housing challenges, some of which can be avoided with access to the right information at the right time.

Identifying different types of support when it comes to welfare benefits and housing can be challenging with so many different types of immigration statuses currently in the UK. From people with Refugee Status to the EU Settlement Scheme this course gives you the tools to be able to navigate the complex immigration system and make sure people from all backgrounds are getting the support they may be entitled to.

5 million people in the UK are in a negative budget, meaning their income is not enough to cover their essential costs.We are now in the second part of the cost of living crisis which has evolved into a debt crisis. Society Matters Introduction to Debt course equips you to support people to manage their debt and receive safe, independent and free debt advice. From managing a negative budget and income maximisation to the debt options such as DROs and Debt Management Plans, this highly interactive course guides you through best practice in supporting people with debt.

This course is structured in 3 parts, 1) Understanding debt, What are the main causes of debt?, Different types of borrowing, Interest rates, APR & Credit Reports. 2) Managing money to prevent debt, Practical methods of budgeting, Trigger points for re-budgeting to avoid debt, Switching suppliers / smart meters, Alternative spending, Sources of additional income, In-work benefits. 3) Responding to debt, The difference between a non-priority and priority debt, Reasons behind and consequences of not engaging with creditors, The process of credit negotiation, Last resort measures.

Prisoners and their families face massive challenges both before and after spending time in prison when it comes to welfare benefits and support with housing. Many prisoners are released into homelessness and struggle to navigate the system which increases the likelihood of reoffending by over 50%. This in-depth course looks at the barriers prisoners with different types of sentences may face, the effect on benefits and housing and how to support both them and their families. Through a combination of real-life case studies, interactive quizzes and experienced trainers you will learn best practice in supporting prisoners through today’s challenging system.

Need help understanding the migration to Universal Credit? Do you support vulnerable clients at risk of losing benefits? Join our engaging 3-hour workshop, designed to simplify this complex process. Gain clear, practical insights to confidently navigate the transition and ensure those you support receive the help they need.

Going from under pressure to being stressed, can affect us both physically, mentally, and emotionally. Recognising the signs of stress and managing your reaction to it can help you improve your wellbeing. Are you confident you really understand what mental health is? Do you feel you have sufficient understanding to support people with their mental health? This session provides a practical introduction to the concepts of stress, resilience and mental health combined with practical exercises and materials that can be used immediately. The training also lays out the basics about mental health and challenges some of the stereotypes and assumptions.