Employment and Support Allowance benefit training
The government plans to reduce the number of people on benefit, aiming for 80% of the working age population in work and one million people off 'incapacity' benefit (from 2.6 million at present).
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is a benefit paid to people who have physical or mental health problems which mean they have difficulty working. ESA will change both the amount of benefit sick and disabled claimants can get and how they qualify for it. There is a whole new set of rules relating to rates of benefit and stricter new tests to understand.
This practical course takes a detailed look at the major overhaul to the sickness benefits system and the requirements that most claimants must meet in order to avoid their benefit being reduced. It will increase your confidence in helping clients through the system and disputing incapacity-for-work decisions.
You will learn:
- At-a-glance differences between the old system and the new
- The work capability assessment process
- The two new medical tests – the limited capability for work assessment and the limited capability for work-related activity assessment
- Exempt claimants
- When a decision may be challenged
- To explain the impact of ESA with other benefits
- To describe how a health condition might fit the descriptors
- The transitional rules on entitlement to the previous incapacity-related benefits.
Who will benefit from attending?
Housing officers, support workers, Housing Benefit staff, homelessness staff, rent arrears staff, scheme managers, social workers and health workers who need to give confident advice and support to their clients through the claiming process, and everyone wanting to explore this benefit in detail.
Our trainer
Alison Markantonis has spent over 20 years in the field of benefits prior to becoming a consultant and trainer. Her approach is participative and interactive, using case studies and her own frontline experience to take the complex, and make it not only simple, but applicable.
HQN has a track record of helping organisations achieve real and lasting performance improvements. If you are interested in accessing this training package please contact us by emailing training@hqnetwork.co.uk
