Derby Advice Training Courses

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 30 November 2023 10am – 12 noon - Online

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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 5 December 2023 10am - 12 noon - Online

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

This is a three-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 17 January 2024 9:30am – 12.30pm - The Council House, Corporation Street

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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: 

Wednesday 3 April 2024 9.30am – 4.30pm - The Council House, Corporation Street

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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 21 February 2024 9.30am – 12.30pm - The Council House, Corporation Street

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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.
• Consider the options for claimants too ill to work on Universal Credit, including descriptors that the DWP consider and guidance on form filling.

Date and time

Wednesday 24 January 2024 9:30am – 12.30pm - Online

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A full day course covering disability benefits for people of working age and children.

It will look at the different criteria of each benefit, the claims process and the impact on other benefits. The afternoon session will include an extended exercise on the completion of a PIP (Personal Independence Payment) form.

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 7 February 2024 9.30am to 4.30pm - Council House, Corporation Street

Wednesday 13 March 2024 9.30am to 4.30pm - Council House, Corporation Street

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A 3-hour course looking at benefits available for people of 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

Programme overview:

• Who can qualify for each benefit
• How each benefit is assessed
• Maximising benefits for older people

Date and time

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