Derby Advice Training Courses

It is recommend that this course is completed if you have not attended any Derby Advice Money Advice training before. 

This is an hour introductory course for people who have little or no experience of the money advice process.

It will focus on identifying the reasons why people fall into debt, the barriers to getting money advice, the money advice process and how to make appropriate referrals to Derby Advice.

Participants will be able to:

  • Understand the money advice process
  • Understand where people can access free money advice
  • Refer appropriately

Programme overview: 

  • An overview of the Derby Homes Money Advice team
  • Reasons for being in debt and the barriers to getting advice
  • The money advice process and where to access free advice

Dates and Times: 

Thursday 1st December 2022 10am – 11am - Online via Microsoft Teams

This is a two-hour course focusing on the preparation, completion and importance of a financial statement.

The course will cover income maximisation, budgeting skills and issues surrounding financial exclusion.

Aimed at anyone working in a supporting role with people struggling to budget and pay their bills.

A basic knowledge of welfare benefits and money advice is assumed.

Participants will be able to:

  • Understand the importance of completing a financial statement.
  • Draw up a basic financial statement.
  • Identify ways in which clients can increase income and reduce expenditure.
  • Understand how we prioritise debts

Programme overview: 

  • What is a financial statement and why is it important?
  • Preparing a financial statement.
  • Budgeting suggestions.
  • Prioritising debts

Dates and Times: 

Thursday 8th December 2022 10am – 12 noon - Online via Microsoft Teams

This is a two-hour course focusing on recovery of debts through the County Court, enforcement agents (‘bailiffs’) and strategies for dealing with debts.

A basic knowledge of money advice is assumed.

Participants will be able to:

  • Understand how creditors recover debts through the County Court
  • Identify what action enforcement agents can take
  • Understand the strategies debt advisers use to assist clients in becoming debt free

Programme overview: 

  • The County Court recovery process and County Court Judgments
  • Types of enforcement agents and their powers
  • Debt strategies

Dates and Times: 

Thursday 15th December 2022 10am - 12 noon - Online via Microsoft Teams

This is a two-hour course for people working with groups who are most vulnerable during the current cost of living crisis.

Participants will be able to:

  • Understand the significance of income and benefit maximisation
  • Be aware of help and advice available in the Derby City area
  • Make appropriate referrals

Programme overview:

  • An overview of available benefits and how to ensure people are claiming everything they’re entitled to.
  • Discussions around national and local (Derby city) help available.

Date and time: 

Wednesday 18th January 2023 10am – 12 noon - Online via Microsoft Teams

We recommend this course is completed before the Universal Credit courses.

This is a two-hour introductory course for people who have little or no experience of the benefit system. It will focus on identifying which benefits different groups of people may be able to claim, the claims process and how to make appropriate referrals to Derby Advice.

This course provides a general overview of the benefits system and does not cover detailed rules of entitlement.

On completion, participants will be able to:

  • Identify potential benefit claims for different groups of people (eg disabled, older people)
  • Assist with the claims process.
  • Refer appropriately

Programme:

  • What are the main Social Security Benefits and who can claim them?
  • How is welfare reform affecting the benefit system?
  • Benefit decisions and appeals

Dates and Times:

Wednesday 15th February 2023
9:30am – 12 noon
The Council House, Corporation Street

A full-day course tailored to anyone who works with younger adults with mental health problems.

Participants will be able to:

  • Recognise the issues facing people with mental health problems when claiming benefits
  • Understand the qualifying rules for Personal Independence Payment as they relate to people with mental health conditions
  • Complete Personal Independence Payment claim forms
  • Understand the Work Capability Assessment and how to assist with forms
  • Understand the permitted work rules and other issues facing people going back to work
  • Understand how the introduction of Universal Credit will affect people with mental health problems.

Programme:

  • Barriers to claiming benefits
  • Personal Independence Payment
  • Work Capability Assessment
  • Returning to work
  • Universal Credit.

Date and time: 

Tuesday 31st January 2023
9.30am – 4.30pm
The Council House, Corporation Street

This half-day course will look at the financial assessment made by the Local Authority when someone goes into a residential care or nursing home. It will also consider the effects of going into a home on benefits. Particular issues covered will include: treatment of property, continuing health care, temporary residents, Attendance Allowance/Disability Living Allowance/Personal Independence Payment and Housing Benefit.

Participants will be able to:

  • Understand the financial assessment
  • Explain the impact of going into residential are on entitlement to benefits

Programme:

  • The impact on disability benefits
  • The financial assessment
  • Treatment of property
  • s.117 Mental Health Act
  • Continuing health care
  • Housing Benefit

Date and time: 

Wednesday 22nd February 2023
9.30am – 1pm
The Council House, Corporation Street

A short course covering disability benefits, people of working age and people of state retirement age.

It will look at the different criterion of each benefit, the claims process and the impact on other benefits.

Participants will be able to:

  • Identify potential claims.
  • Understand the conditions of entitlement.
  • Understand the assessment process.

Programme overview:

  • Who can qualify for each disability benefit.
  • How each benefit is assessed.
  • The implications of an award of a disability benefit for disabled people and carers.

Date and time

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
10.00am-12 noon
Online via Microsoft Teams

A basic knowledge of the benefits system is assumed.

Since 2018, new claimants of means-tested benefits or claimants with a change in their circumstances, have to claim Universal Credit.

As the programme to move claimants from ‘legacy benefits’ on to Universal Credit ramps up, this course looks at supporting claimants through the process and understanding the impact on claimants’ income.

Participants will be able to:

  • Identify the groups of people who can claim Universal Credit.
  • Understand how the implementation of Universal Credit will impact on claimants.
  • Understand migration from legacy benefits on to Universal Credit.

Programme overview:

  • Migration from legacy benefits over to Universal Credit.
  • Barriers to claiming Universal Credit.
  • Identify groups most likely to be adversely affected and consider difficulties they’re likely
  • to face.

Date and time

Wednesday 8th March 2023
9:30am – 12 noon
The Council House, Corporation Street

A basic understanding of benefits is assumed. This course outlines the help available through the social security system to pay for rent and mortgage costs.

Participants will be able to:

  • Know which benefit may be payable.
  • Understand how to claim.
  • Be aware of the limitations of help available through the mortgage interest scheme.

Programme:

  • Housing benefit - who is entitled?
  • Universal credit housing element.
  • Support for mortgage interest.

Date and time:

Wednesday 29th March 2023
9:30am – 12 noon
The Council House, Corporation Street