Welfare Benefits

• Struggling with your benefit issues?

• Refused benefits that you think you are entitled to?

• Not sure what you can claim?

Citizens Advice South Lakeland has a Community Legal Service Specialist Help quality mark in Welfare Benefits - the highest level awarded.

Our specialist team advises clients on their entitlement to benefits, helps them to make claims and assists with appeals where a wrong decision may have been made.

In 2006-07 our Welfare Benefits Unit gains for clients averaged a staggering £25,000 per month.

If you don't know what you may be entitled to, if you have been wrongly refused or if you simply don't understand the benefits you are on, we can help.

Listed below are some of the many benefit entitlements you may be eligble for, to help you in your everyday life, and we may be able to help you claim them.

• Income Support
• Job Seekers Allowance
• Housing Benefit, Local Housing Allowance, Council Tax Benefit
• Overpayments and Appeals
• Tax Credits
• Incapacity Benefits & Disability Living Allowance

It is gratifying to know that many clients not only come back to us when they are undergoing a review of an existing Benefit, but will also come to us for help in other Benefit areas .

We regularly take telephone calls within the unit that start “You helped a friend of mine and I wondered if you could help me……………”. Word of mouth is the best advertisement going!

Client feedback has included the following:

‘……….face to face communication is so important….’,
‘We cannot fault you…’,
‘The quality of aid and assistance you gave was excellent………….’
‘I have already recommended your services as I am sure you will be as helpful to others as you were to me’

For a referral to this specialist service, simply access our general advice service by any of the means indicated on the contacts pages.

Useful links:

Department of Work and Pensions www.dwp.co.uk
Pension Service www.thepensionservice.gov.uk
Jobcentre Plus www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk