Guidance

April 2018: Touchbase edition 126

Updated 9 March 2020

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Access to Work grants increased

People who are disabled or have a physical or mental health condition can now claim up to £57,200 a year in Access to Work grants. The grants can pay for additional support that people may need in the workplace beyond reasonable adjustments.

The grants can cover:

• workplace adaptations
• assistive technology
• transport
• interpreters

Access to Work is part of a range of support available to ensure that people who are disabled or have a physical or mental health condition can enter and thrive in the workplace. It is part of the government’s plan to see one million more disabled people in work by 2027.

Mandatory reconsideration made easier

If someone disagrees with a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) decision about benefits, tax credits or child maintenance, they can ask DWP to look at the decision again. This is called mandatory reconsideration.

We have recently made this process easier by giving people the option to fill in and return a mandatory reconsideration request form. A notes document explains how to fill in the form and what will happen after the form has been returned.

People can also ask for mandatory reconsideration by phone or by letter, using the contact details on their decision letter.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children – new, improved claim form

DWP has improved the DLA for children claim form.

The improved form:

• includes guidance to help claimants provide the right supporting information
• says that claimants should send photocopies of supporting documents, not original documents
• includes a checklist of what claimants need to do before sending the form

The form is available in English and Welsh.

Order printed copies of the form.

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) notes sheet – new easy read document

The ESA notes sheet (ESA40), which provides information for people who have made an ESA claim, is now available in easy read. Easy read information is designed to be accessible for people with learning disabilities. The ESA notes sheet will be given to these claimants after their needs have been assessed during their ESA telephone claim or health and work conversation. It is available in English and Welsh.

The ESA notes sheet is the first in-house ESA document to be made available in easy read. There are plans to produce more DWP documents in this format in the future.

Support the Get to know your pension campaign

DWP re-launched the Get to know your pension campaign on 6 April to coincide with the increase in workplace pension contribution rates.

The campaign encourages employees to find out more about their workplace pension and helps people to understand the benefits of paying in.

Employers and organisations who want to support the campaign should use the Get to know your pension toolkit. The toolkit provides resources to promote the campaign, including a letter that employers can give to their employees.

Support for Mortgage Interest loans

Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) gives certain homeowners help towards interest payments on:

• their mortgage
• loans taken out for certain repairs and improvements to their home

A homeowner may be able to get SMI if they get, or are treated as getting, certain qualifying benefits.

From 6 April, SMI changed from being paid as a benefit, to being paid as a loan, with payments usually made directly to lenders.

For a limited time, SMI will continue to be paid as a benefit to people who need someone to make financial decisions on their behalf, for example due to a health condition or disability. People who were affected by the change to SMI have been contacted by DWP.

Work and Health Programme rolled out across England and Wales

The Work and Health Programme is now available across England and Wales. The programme provides personalised support to help people find and keep a job. It is aimed at:

• disabled people
• the long-term unemployed
• people who face significant barriers to employment

So far, over 275,000 people have joined the programme.

Work and Health Programme suppliers

Contract Package Area	Supplier	Launch date
North West England	Ingeus	27 November 2017
Wales	Remploy	1 December 2017
Central England	Shaw Trust	15 January 2018
North East	Reed in Partnership	15 January 2018
Southern	Pluss	15 January 2018
Home Counties	Shaw Trust	15 January 2018
Greater Manchester	Ingeus	29 January 2018
West London Alliance	Shaw Trust	26 February 2018
Central London Forward	Ingeus	1 March 2018
Local London	Maximus	1 March 2018
South London Partnership	Reed in Partnership	1 March 2018

Payment Exception Service replaces Simple Payment

Simple Payment, which allowed people without a bank account to collect benefit or pension payments, was replaced by the Payment Exception Service on 29 March 2018.

Ahead of the introduction of the Payment Exception Service, people using Simple Payment were encouraged to open a bank, building society or credit union account so they could access a wider range of financial services. People who were unable to open an account were transferred to the new service.

People using the Payment Exception Service can continue to collect benefit and pension payments through the PayPoint network.

Childcare vouchers – date extended

The deadline for new entrants to apply for childcare vouchers has been extended by 6 months to 4 October 2018.

Up to this date, parents can choose to apply for either of the following:

• Tax-Free Childcare
• childcare vouchers (if their employer offers them)

The new Tax-Free Childcare scheme is available to eligible parents with children aged under 12. It allows working parents, including those who are self-employed, to reduce childcare costs by up to £2,000 per child, per year (£4,000 for disabled children).

News round-up

Employment rate reaches another new record high

Rent boost for millions of claimants moving onto Universal Credit

Update on the future of DWP jobcentres

Housing support for young people

One million people lifted out of absolute poverty

Grant to support disabled people in the workplace rises by over a third