Maidstone Borough Council 7


Universal Credit is on its way


Universal Credit is being rolled out in Maidstone – you will be contacted when this affects you, but it’s worth being prepared!


Universal credit is the new benefit for all working age people – not pensioners - who are unemployed or on a low income. It will replace housing benefit, income support (IS), jobseeker’s allowance (JSA), employment and support allowance (ESA), child tax credit and working tax credit.


Universal credit will be updated automatically according to how much you have been paid, and new claimants have to commit to finding work.


Budgeting monthly


Universal Credit will be paid monthly. For help on budgeting monthly and other free, independent money advice visit – www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk.


Boot Bank Launched to Help People Into Work


E-billing


Council tax bills will be sent out in March — if you’d rather get yours by email than receive another paper bill, sign up at


www.maidstone.gov.uk/emailbilling.


This not only means you don’t have to store another hard copy bill somewhere, but it’s better for the environment, and it helps us to achieve some of the savings we have to make following further Government funding cuts.


Get Ready


1. Universal Credit will be a single monthly payment – start planning your spending monthly, and get advice about paying outstanding bills or debts.


2. Money will be paid into a bank account – so make sure that you have one. Try Kent Savers (www.kentsavers.co.uk or 0333 321 9050) if you’ve struggled to get a bank account in the past.


3. Most people will make and manage their claim online – so you will need an email address. Internet access is available in the Gateway on King Street, or in your local library.


Maidstone Borough CounMaidstone Borough Council ro ough Council


Change in circumstance? Save time, report it online


e time, Make our service suit you...


wherever you are and whenever you want. It’s now quicker and easier to report a change which may affect


ou want how much benefit you get.


Use your smart phone, tablet or other device to get in touch, 24 hours a day, at a time that suits y ou-not just when our offices are open.


To help unemployed people back into work, we have launched a “boot bank” to loan people work boots that they can pay for later. We launched the scheme after we found that some homeless people were being offered work, but couldn’t afford the equipment needed to take on the job. Construction company Faithdean kick-started the scheme with a donation of ten pairs of work boots, and now whenever someone gets into work and is able to pay us back for their boots, we’ll use that money to buy new boots ready to help someone else.


Councillor Marion Ring, Chairman of our Communities, Housing and Environment Committee, said: “Some of the barriers that people face to get back into work can be very simple to overcome with just a little innovative thinking, and the Boot Bank has the potential to really help some of those in most need in the borough. We’re particularly grateful to Faithdean for their support in launching the scheme.”


Those people using the scheme in the first instance will be those with a local connection who have been referred by local support agencies.


If your company is able to donate boots or Personal Protective Equipment to the scheme, please contact housingadvice@maidstone.gov.uk


www.maidstone.gov.uk/benefits 1


ONLINE FORMS


 2


Visit the website: Visit www.maidstone. gov.


v.uk/benefits and


choose the f orm you need.


REF. N0. 3


Fill out the form: You’l l need your benefit refer enc e number


which is on the top right of the letters we send you.


Tak Any place, any time that suits you...


24 /d


/day hrs


/ ay hrs PROOFS PROOFS PROOFS PROOFS


Ta e and upload a photo:


Use y our smart phone or devic e to take and upload a photo of y our pr oofs - if you need them.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56