Empowering and assisting vulnerable residents
Thanks to HCT, Disability Peterborough is supporting our vulnerable residents
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Hyde Charitable Trust (HCT) is supporting Disability Peterborough’s (DP) project - ‘Empower and Assist: Enhancing Independent Living for Disabled Individuals’. The aim of the project is to reduce isolation and improve financial independence through targeted advice and advocacy.
The Empower and Assist project offers personalised welfare benefit advice and IAG (information, guidance and advice) services for customers in Peterborough who are physically disabled, and to older people. Unlike other services in the area, workers from the project visit people in their homes – even providing a handyman service, tailored to support independent living.
The project works together with different agencies (including Disability Rights UK, Adult Social Care and occupational therapy networks), so customers get the benefits and services they need and are entitled to.
Sandie Burns MBE, CEO of Disability Peterborough, said: “Following discussions with Taseef Younas, Hyde’s Projects and Partnerships Manager, we held various outreach sessions, including at six Hyde specialist housing schemes. The sessions gave us a chance to talk to residents about what additional help was available to them, including the Winter Fuel Payments.
“We’ve also been supporting residents with hygiene packs containing body wash, shampoo and conditioner, laundry liquid, toilet rolls and sanitary products. We know that this is something people cut back on if money is tight, and everyone deserves access to the products they need to keep clean, safe and well. Our Handyman scheme was accessed by ten Hyde residents to help with small jobs around the home and gardens.
“A huge thank you to Hyde Charitable Trust – not only for the funding, but being able to engage with your colleagues who referred Hyde residents into the project helped to make it a great success.”
Nearly 70 Hyde residents attended benefits talks at the housing schemes. In addition to these talks, customers received additional support from foodbanks, and with advice around support including Employment Support Allowance and with Personal Independence Payments (PIP).
Sandie continued: “Thanks to the project, the income and comfort of many Hyde residents that accessed our services has improved. Increasing income by often thousands of pounds each year can have a profound effect on wellbeing. Hyde residents commented on feeling supported by Disability Peterborough and that we were ‘on their side’. Trying to fill out long complex forms or challenge government decisions can be totally overwhelming and daunting. The residents now know that we’re able to support them with any aspect of disability advice, and there is no such thing as a silly question.”
Find out more about Disability Peterborough.
Fran (*customer name has been changed)
Fran* approached Disability Peterborough (DP) for support as her Attendance Allowance (AA) application had been turned down. Disability Peterborough supported Fran with taking the claim to appeal, which was successful. Fran’s claim was then backdated for £6,488.00.
Following her AA award, a benefits check was completed, and she as awarded pension credit - £1,724.32 per annum. She also received a council tax rebate of £1,359.32 and is also entitled to the Winter Fuel Payment.
Fran said: “Thank you so much for all your help with getting me the Attendance Allowance. Without your intervention, I would have accepted it not being awarded. You’ve also helped me with so many other things, I cannot thank you enough. It has made a big difference to me - especially with the Pension Credit - as that was an added bonus I didn’t know about.”
Clare (*customer name has been changed)
Clare* was hesitant in seeking support regarding any benefits and approached DP staff at a coffee morning at Tuckers Court, a Hyde later living scheme in Peterborough. A DP colleague completed an AA application for her, which Clare was then awarded and then backdated for £4,34.20. A benefits check has also been completed, and she has now been awarded Pension Credit - £81.50 a week / £4,238.00 per annum and backdated three months.
Clare said: “I thought that Attendance Allowance was only for people who had a daily care worker. I still can’t quite believe that I’m getting all that extra money a month. You have no idea how much this means to me and what a difference it will make. Thank you all so much for all the advice and help.”)