Case Studies


Vine Centre Client called at the Vine Centre for help with completion of ESA and DLA forms. ESA claim was successful, but DLA was not awarded. Client was assisted with appeal through referral to the Belfast Citywide Tribunal Service for representation. The Appeal was allowed and additional benefit awarded. The client was also referred for counselling, initially through WAVE and then referred to Everton Complex for PTSD trauma counselling. Client was also referred to Victim Support, who after assessment provided £600 towards a break in Northern Ireland and a further £600 towards a further education course.


Limavady Community Development Initiative


Client was married, self-employed man who was diagnosed with prostate cancer 2 years ago. Client had a critical illness policy in place but his insurer refused to pay out the £100k the client should have received, due to a technicality around the grade of the cancer. This was exacerbated by one specialist listing the cancer incorrectly as the excluded grade. Client faced losing their home and their business. The adviser took on the case; liaised with both the specialist and the insurer and managed to secure entitlement to an insurance pay-out to which the client was entitled. This took over 6 months to achieve and the adviser referred the client to Debt Action NI who worked with the mortgage lender


to prevent repossessing the home whilst the insurance claim was on-going.


Disability Action


Two elderly sisters (both in their eighties) living together most of their lives. One sister was profoundly disabled; the other sister was the carer.


They both contacted the adviser with a housing enquiry and the adviser dealt with their specific query. The adviser also asked if they would like to have a benefit entitlement check carried out on their circumstances. It turned out that for years they should have had Severe Disability Premiums and one underlying Carers Premium payable within their respective Pension Credit awards. After prolonged correspondence and in-depth investigation, Pension Credit acknowledged the entitlements and arrears were paid amounting to £25,000.


Ligoniel Improvement Association


As part of the SSA Benefit Uptake programme the adviser received a referral from the Advice NI team regarding an elderly couple with potential benefit entitlement. The adviser identified that the husband was in receipt of DLA high rate mobility and middle rate care and both were receiving State Retirement Pension. The adviser assisted the wife with application forms for Attendance Allowance,


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Pension Credit, Carers Allowance and Rates Relief. Rates relief was paid in full and they received £22 per week Pension Credit however the wife’s Attendance Allowance application was disallowed. The adviser appealed the decision, represented the case to appeal where the wife was awarded high rate Attendance Allowance at £79.15 per week back dated for 62 weeks and both received a higher amount of Pension Credit including carers premiums backdated for 62 weeks, amounting to a new weekly total of £617.59 an increase of £287 per week. They also received back dated money amounting to £16,414.50. This made a great difference to the quality of life of this couple.


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