Brutal cuts to the Limited Capability for Work-Related Activity element of Universal Credit came into force on the 1st April this year. This has resulted in a lot of disabled people experiencing a drop in income. While this is a government policy that can’t be changed in the short term, there are a few things you can do to ensure you are getting all that you are entitled to.
Check that the calculation of your benefits is correct.
There are two key ways to do this. For both, you will need the details of all your income and outgoings. One is to use an online benefit calculator. You can find one on the Turn2Us website:
https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/
The second way to check is to speak to a qualified welfare benefits advisor. You can find a list of welfare benefits advisors across Scotland here:
Where Can I Get Benefits Advice? – Disability Information Scotland
This way you can check if the calculation is correct but will not reinstate money you have lost due to a new government policy.
If you want to appeal a decision
You can ask for a Mandatory Reconsideration within a month of your award and have the DWP re-evaluate the evidence. You will have the best chance of overturning a decision if you submit more evidence.
You can appeal further and ultimately go to a tribunal if you are not satisfied.
You can find out more about appealing a decision here:
Appeal a benefit decision: Overview – GOV.UK
Follow the link above “Where Can I get Benefits Advice” to find a welfare benefits advisor to help with mandatory consideration or appeal. If you are unsure of where you can find one or how to contact them then do call us at Disability Information Scotland on 0300 323 9961 and we can give you the correct contact details.
What if the calculation is correct?
If the calculation is correct, then that means your money has been reduced due to the latest government policy. That cannot be changed in the short term, but you can ask your welfare benefits advisor to do a full check of all you may be entitled to so that you can make sure you haven’t missed anything you can apply for.
Places where you can get help if you are struggling financially
You can apply for a grant through The Scottish Welfare Fund. There will be a page on your local council website about it which will give you contacts to apply. You can read more about that here:
Scottish Welfare Fund – help with living costs – mygov.scot
You can find out about any help that’s available with your energy bills from Home Energy Scotland:
If you are struggling to get food, there are foodbanks and other community food resources that can help. You can find more from these pages:
There are Community Fridges in many areas in Scotland, and you can search for your nearest one here:
https://communityfridgemap.org.uk/
There is also the Scottish Pantry Network:
Locations | The Scottish Pantry Network
There are sometimes other community free food resources from gardens and allotments. We can search for you and see if we can find any in your area.
Other help
You can search for grants on the Turn2Us Website:
https://grants-search.turn2us.org.uk/
If you are in debt due to financial pressures then do seek additional help from debt advisors. There’s a list of who you can contact in Scotland here: