The Role of the Benefits Case Worker

Almost thirty percent of the Bureau's case load concerns benefits in one form or another. This could be a check on current benefit entitlement or involve a protracted process to correct an administrative mistake or recover an entitlement lost due to a medical review. This leads to the need to have more specialist expertise and continuity than can be provided by the normal volunteer adviser, a role fulfilled by the Benefits Case Worker.
Benefits Take Up.
The bureau is running a benefits take up campaign in conjunction with Maldon District Council. The aim is to alert people, especially the elderly to any benefit entitlement tha they may have. The campaign has been promoted through council publications, leaflets in suitable locations, letters to local councillors and through the council’s website. In the latter case a user can request a benefit check via a special page. The reach of the internet has resulted in requests from as far afield as New York! A request to make a home visit in this case was inexplicably rejected.

Phil--the man who knows

The campaign which started in December last year, has so far identified potential benefits gains in excess of £60,000.

Tax Credits.
Child and Working Tax Credits, introduced in April 2003 as a replacement for Working Families Tax Credits, are a constant source of worry and distress to our clients, The level of these benefits are linked very closely to family income and relatively small changes in income can lead to significant overpayments, often running to thousands of pounds. These overpayments are then normally recovered by reducing the benefit paid the following year. The clients then find that they suffer a double reduction in income.
the benefit was badly administered, especially when first introduced, and continues to be plagued by computer problems. the paperwork provided to clients is difficult to understand and, as it is duplicated to both partners every time a change occurs, it can become very voluminous. A significant amount of time is spent trying to assist clients to resolve issues with these benefits. As it is not possible to appeal against an overpayment recovery, a lengthy complaints process has to be followed, first to HM Revenue & Customs and then to an external adjudicator. The worst case to date has taken 21 months to resolve.
Housing and Council Tax Benefits.
These benefits generate a steady level of work. Although not suffering from the problems afflicting tas credits their interaction with other befits can giver rise to difficulties. Maldon’s nautical environment can lead to some interesting variations as some clients claim benefits relating to their floating homes.
Disability Benefits.
There are a number of benefits relating to disability nad incapacity to work. These benefits can have a significant effect on clients finances as not only do they provide income in their own right but entitlement to them can significantly increase the value of other benefits. Sometimes the rejection or termination of a claim to these benefits can be made on the basis of what seems to be a brief or inaccurate medical examination. Help is provided to assist clients to appeal aginst these decisions and when the client is able to attend the appeal tribunal in person the success rates are over 70%.
Support for the Generalist Adviser.
Many benefit issues are successfully dealt with by the volunteer advisors but the case worker is available to provide additional help and support if required. Much of the case load originates from referrals by the generalist advisers.