Housing Advice

Category Archives: Housing Advice

How to deal with anti-social behaviour in housing?

Posted on August 27, 2010 by Action for Social Integration

How to deal with anti-social behaviour in housing? Anti-social behaviour is behaviour which is capable of causing upset or annoyance to individuals or the wider community. Anti-social behaviour in housing is a common problem that many people experience at some …

Anti-social behaviour is behaviour which is capable of causing upset or annoyance to individuals or the wider community. Anti-social behaviour in housing is a common problem that many people experience at some point. Even though individuals who face this problem often feel powerless to deal with it, this article will bring to your attention some of the support on offer and the action you can take.

What can be done to deal with anti-social behaviour in housing?

In order to take action, it is first necessary to ascertain who is responsible for the anti-social behaviour and whether the behaviour is unintentional or deliberate. Secondly you need to establish whether the activity is criminal or not and whether the police should be informed immediately. Thirdly, finding out who is responsible for the area and housing where the perpetrators live, will determine who you can turn to for assistance.

Taking Action Yourself

§  Find out if you have a tenants association in your area. They may be able to intervene, particularly if the behaviour is affecting other people in the locality. To find out more about the tenant associations in the area where you live, please follow this link.

§  If you wish to take legal action, you may start a criminal prosecution in court to have the perpetrator fined or imprisoned.

§  You may also resort to legal action if you wish to have an order imposed to stop the perpetrator continuing with their behaviour and/ or to file for compensation. This would involve filing a civil action in court.

If you are considering taking legal action you will need the help of an experienced adviser, for example, a Citizens Advice Bureau. To search for details of your nearest CAB, including those that can give advice by email, click on nearest CAB.

§  If you do not wish to take legal action but want the behaviour to stop, a mediation scheme might be a good idea. Mediation is usually free and is an informal process in which a neutral third party helps two or more people in a dispute to reach a mutually acceptable solution.

To search for a mediator in your area who could help, visit the Directory of UK Mediation

The Police

Where anti-social behaviour includes criminal activity (violence, drug related activity, racist abuse), the police should be notified immediately. You can find details of your local Police and how to contact them here.

Social Landlords

Social landlords include local housing authorities, councils and housing associations. Unless the problem is a criminal one, then the social landlord should be contacted first. The social landlord is expected to publicise how to go about making a complaint and details should be readily available from the housing office or the landlord’s web-site.

Private Landlords

Private landlords are private individuals or companies who own property that is independent of the local authority or housing associations. Private landlords have the power of the tenancy agreement to tackle anti-social behaviour in their properties and can evict tenants who are found in breach. If a landlord refuses to tackle anti-social behaviour in their property then there are various enforcement measures which can be applied by the local authority. Information on these measures can be found here.

Home Owners

People often think that if a home owner commits anti-social behaviour there is little that can be done to stop it. This is not true as many enforcement mechanisms such as Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs), ASBOs, Parenting Orders/Contracts and injunctions are available regardless of whether the perpetrator is a home owner or not. Follow this link to find out what action you can take in this situation.

Other Support

Anti-Social Behaviour Co-ordinator

Every area of England and Wales also has a local Anti-Social Behaviour Co-ordinator, specifically in place to help tackle local anti-social behaviour. To find out who your local co-ordinator is and to contact them, follow this link.

This article has been published in Issue 5 of Action for Social Integration’s Community Advice E-Newsletter, August 29th 2010

Dealing with “Rent Arrears”

Posted on June 10, 2010 by Action for Social Integration

Are you in debt and unable to pay your home rent? How to deal with “rent arrears”?

Rent arrears” is a legal term to describe a situation where you have failed to pay your home rent on time. Allowing for a debt to amass could easily turn into a serious problem, eventually leading to losing your home. This is why it is important to contact a legal adviser and take an action immediately!

When dealing with “rent arrears” it is important to first find out what the type of your tenancy is: it will determine how and in what time frame your debt needs to be tackled, as well as what your landlord`s actions could be if you fail to re-pay it. To help you with this, the housing charity organization Shelter has introduced its online Tenancy Checker service which allows you to easily identify your tenancy type by answering just a few questions.

You might find it helpful to start by making a plan of action: decide exactly how you are going to clear your dept and the different steps you will take in doing this. In order to find out what the best repayment method for clearing your “rent arrears” could be, we would suggest that you introduce yourself with the National Debtline`s “Options for Paying Back Your Debts”. It will help you choose a repayment method depending on the type and size of your dept. Alternatively, for a one-to-one discussion with an adviser call the National Debtline`s FREE phone: 0808 808 4000 (Monday-Friday 9am-9pm, Saturday 9.30am-1pm)

For a free, confidential and impartial advice on dealing with “rent arrears”, you can call the Shelter Housing Advice FREE phone: 0808 800 4444 (Monday-Friday 8am-8pm, Saturday-Sunday 8am-5pm), or visit Shelter`s web section on “rent arrears”. If you decide to contact Shelter by phone, ask to be directed to a legal adviser who can tell you what arrangements you can make with your landlord.

! Remember that you shouldn`t and cannot be evicted for “rent arrears” without a court order.
! Remember to always write down and have a copy of all agreements you make with your landlord.

Web advice point on “rent arrears”:

“Dealing with rent arrears?”
 Access by clicking on this link.

“What to do if you have “rent arrears”?
Read by clicking on this link.

Employment Advice

Category Archives: Employment Advice

Getting back to employment: can volunteering help you?

Posted on August 27, 2010 by Action for Social Integration

For more and more people nowadays volunteering has become an important step to employment. Even if you have already had paid jobs in the past, increased competition on the job market would mean that your skills and experiences may not be valued as highly as they would have been previously. Continuous rejections by employers may signal that your CV may need a make-over:  volunteering can help you fix this situation and open a path for you to new and exciting job opportunities!

Can volunteering really help you get a job?

“Yes! 41% of people report that volunteering has helped them get a job”
(Study by Sheffield Volunteer Centre)

“70 per cent of employers would hire a candidate with volunteering experience over someone
 who has never volunteered” 
(Direct Gov.Uk)

How can volunteering help you get a job?

§  Volunteering helps you learn new skills and receive more training which will give you advantage when competing with other candidates for a job position

§  It has a positive effect on your confidence and motivation

§  Volunteering will enable you to create new contacts which can help you find employment in the future (it often happens to be recommended to an employer by someone you have volunteered with)

§  It sends a message to your employers that you are a dedicated and proactive person

Will volunteering affect your benefits?

You can volunteer while you are receiving benefits if the work you do is unpaid and you meet the rules of your benefit. For example if you receive Jobseekers Allowance you must still be actively seeking a full-time job, able to attend job interviews at 48 hours notice and available to work at one week’s notice. You can still receive money from your employer to cover your travel expenses but this does not count as payment and will not affect your benefits.

You should always check with your benefits adviser before you start volunteering. For example, for Council Tax and Housing Benefit contact your local Council, for Jobseeker`s Allowance contact the Jobcentre plus office you are registered with, for other benefits you may have to contact the Pensions Service. For more information on volunteering and your benefits, please follow this link.

Finding a Volunteering Opportunity

The first step to take if you consider starting to work as a volunteer is to register with your nearest Volunteer Centre. The Volunteer Centres are local agencies which help people who would like to volunteer with employers. You can find your nearest centre by clicking here. 

Another thing to do in your search for volunteering opportunities is to look for positions that may be advertised in local newspapers, the websites of local businesses or community organisations, or in national databases. Please find outlined below a list of websites which you may find useful in your search for volunteering positions:

Do-it (National Volunteering Database)

Guardian Volunteering Jobs

Jobs in Charity Organisations

Volunteering for One-off Events

London.Gov.UK (Volunteering Portal)

 There are various types of businesses and community organisations which offer volunteering opportunities for people at different stages of their professional development. Follow this link to find out more about the different professional areas in which you can gain volunteer experience.

 Where can you find help with finding the right volunteering opportunity for yourself?

 CSV
UK`s Leading Volunteering and Training Charity. The CVS offers part-time and full-time volunteering opportunities across the UK.

 TimeBank
 Can help you decide what you want to do and keep you up to date with the latest volunteering out there.
Telephone: 0845 456 1668

 Reach
A skilled volunteering charity.

Tel: 020 7582 6543

inspired
Offers a wealth of exciting opportunities for young volunteers aged 16-25

Volunteering England
 Offers practical information, advice and guidance on best practice and what you should expect as a volunteer.

YouthNet
The UK’s first exclusively online charity. They guide and support young people, enabling them to make educated life choices, participate in society and achieve their ambitions. They run a variety of projects that you can get involved in.

This article has been published in Issue 5 of Action for Social Integration’s Community Advice E-Newsletter, August 29th 2010

Ads by Google

Project Management +Gantt
Yes. It's easy. Nothing to install. Try it Free!
www.smartsheet.com

 

 

Dealing with the Rights of Agency Workers

Posted on June 10, 2010 by Action for Social Integration

 

Using an employment agency. What are the rights of agency workers?
“Employment agency” is an agency which has a mediating function between yourself and an employer. Employment agencies normally operate in one of the following two ways:

Employment agency TYPE 1: They find work for job-seekers and connect them with employers. In this scenario, job-seekers become employees of the company they have been connected with by the agency; they enter into contract with the company (not the agency) and are paid by that company (not the agency).
 
Employment agency TYPE 2: Even though the main purpose of the employment agency is still to find work for job-seekers, in this second scenario job-seekers enter into contract with the employment agency itself (not the company they are connected with by the agency). Even after starting to work for a “hiring company”, the employee is still paid by the employment agency and not the company they have been connected with by the agency.  
 
! Remember, when registering with an employment agency, it is important to ask the agency to confirm whether it will be finding you temporary work with a “hiring company” (TYPE 2: in this case, you will be paid by the agency), or whether it will be finding you permanent employment (TYPE 1: in this case, you will be paid by the company you start working for).
 
! The term “agency worker”, also called “temps”, only applies to you if you are paid by the employment agency (TYPE 2).
 
While, as an agency worker you will probably have a “contract for services” with your employment agency, this does not mean you are employed by it. There is no obligation on the agency to find you work and you are also not obliged to accept any work they find you. 
 
The way employment agencies treat their employees as well as all complaints against employment agencies are normally regulated and dealt with by the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate. Yet, there are a number of things you need to know in order to be able to recognize that you are not being treated correctly in the first place.

Every employment agency should abide by the following regulations. If it does not, this is unlawful and you should seek to protect your rights:

-must not ask you for money in order to find you work
-must not ask you to pay with your own money for equipment, protective clothing or uniforms unless you are being told in advance and have agreed (but they may charge you for obtaining a Criminal Records Bureau check provided that this has been discussed with you in advance).
-must not make you use and pay for extra services as a condition for finding you work (such as CV preparation)
-must not charge you or penalise you for taking a permanent job with the company they have connected you with
-must not penalise you for registering with other agencies
 

! Remember that, while an agency can charge you for transport, accommodation or training , you have the right to cancel or withdraw from the service provided that you give a 10 working day written notice for cancellation of accommodation, and 5 working days notice for cancellation of all other services. 

+must inform you in writing about your payment rate, the terms and conditions of your contract, length of notice, and the type of work they will find for you. Upon being offered a position by a hiring company, the agency must provide you with written details of the job, the length of your employment and your salary.
+must pay for all work you have undertaken even if it has not been paid by the hiring company and even if you have failed to produce a signed timesheet.
 
! Remember that agency workers, also called “temps”, short-term casual workers and some freelancers have slightly different employment rights from common “employees”. Unlike “employees”, agency workers are not entitled to redundancy pay or to make a claim for unfair dismissal.

A summary of these points could be found in this workers` rights Booklet, displayed on the governmental information website Direct.Gov.
 
For advice with problems you might have with using an employment agency, you can contact the Pay and Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368 (The Pay and Work Rights Helpline`s staff accepts enquiries in more than 100 languages, so feel free to request a speaker of your native language). Alternatively, you can register your problem and request information and guidance using this Online Enquiry Form. 

Ads by Google

Create & Send HTML Email
Create Attention Grabbing Emails & Track Success. Free 60-day Trial!
www.ConstantContact.com

 

Dealing with “unfair dismissal”

Posted on June 10, 2010 by Action for Social Integration

 

I am being made redundant but I don`t think this is fair. How to recognise and deal with “unfair dismissal”?

There are a number of reasons for losing your job which could be unfair: for example pregnancy, your age and gender, or if your employer has dismissed you even though there has been no problem with your job performance. The term “unfair dismissal” is used to denote that either (1) your employer`s reasons for dismissing you have been unfair or discriminatory, or that (2) the procedure he has followed in dismissing you has been unfair.

For FREE, confidential and impartial advice on your employment rights telephone the ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) at 0845 7474 747.
 
If you believe you have been dismissed unfairly, you will need to make a claim for unfair dismissal at the Employment Tribunal. Call the Employment Tribunal Enquiry line at 0845 795 9775 to find out where your local Employment Tribunal office is. Ask your local office for free advice on how to make a claim for unfair dismissal and order a claim form.

! Remember that you can only make a claim to the Employment Tribunal within 3 months from the date when you have been dismissed.

! Depending on your circumstances, a successful claim for unfair dismissal may enable you to secure “redundancy payment” compensation or a compensation for loss of earnings. To find out what your redundancy payment could be click here.
 
 Find out when a dismissal relating to your working times is unfair.
 
If you believe you have been dismissed unfairly due to pregnancy or issues relating to your maternity leave, you can easily find out what your maternity rights and entitlements are by filling it the following short questionnaire: http://www.direct.gov.uk/maternity.dsb

Legal Advice E-Newsletter
Issue 1, April 23 2010

Ads by Google

Employment Law Solicitors
No Win No Fee Employment Solicitor. Find Legal Experts Near You - Free!
www.ContactLaw.co.uk/Employment

 

 

Health Advice

Category Archives: Health Advice

Support and job opportunities for people with disabilities: is working for yourself an option?
Posted on August 27, 2010 by Action for Social Integration

Support and job opportunities for people with disabilities: is working for yourself an option? There are many areas in the lives of disabled people in which they may need additional support and assistance: housing, work, education, money, leisure, personal relationships, …

There are many areas in the lives of disabled people in which they may need additional support and assistance: housing, work, education, money, leisure, personal relationships, etc.

To help them access the help which is available through local and national organizations, the Department of Health has launched an online portal dedicated exclusively to the needs of disabled people. To access the Department of Health`s "Practical Guide for Disabled People or Careers", please follow this link.

An area which could be particularly problematic for disabled people is employment. While there is a list of organizations and initiatives launched to assist people with disabilities in employment and link them to job opportunities, self-employment is another option worth considering.

 What support is available to disabled people who consider starting up their own business and becoming self-employed?

Income Tax Allowance: on expenses including travel, subscriptions to magazines, heating and lighting the workplace in your home. If you have a disability and usually work 16 hours or more a week, you may be able to get extra tax credits. The disability must be one that makes it hard for you to get a job and you must be receiving, or have recently received, a qualifying sickness or disability-related benefit. To find out how to get extra tax credits, visit the HM Revenue and Customs website.

The Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG): the government`s guaranteed lending scheme intended to help smaller viable businesses who may be struggling to secure finance, by facilitating bank loans of between £1,000 and £1 million. To find out additional information please following this link.

Business Start-up Allowance from some Learning and Skills Councils (LSC) in England and The National Council for Education and Training for Wales or Local Enterprise Councils (LECs) in Scotland is part of a package which includes training in setting up a business and business planning.

All newly self-employed people have to register for National Insurance contributions and Income Tax. Booklet PFE1 from the Inland Revenue contains a registration form for National Insurance contributions and Income Tax. Many disabled people will not have to pay National Insurance contributions if they earn below the threshold. You will also not have to pay VAT if your annual turnover is less than a certain amount. If, however, it is above this amount, you will need to apply to Customs and Excise for VAT registration (0845 0109000). Further information is available from the Self-Employed Agency on 0845 9154515.

You can find all information necessary for setting up and developing your own business from the website of Business Link.

Where can people with disabilities find further help?

Take a look at the following booklet "Setting up in Business: A Resource Guide for Disabled People and their Advisers". It contains practical information about tax, Access to Work Scheme, business planning, grants, finance and working from home. You can request a copy by emailing: info@disabled-entrepreneurs.net

Disability Charity Leonard Cheshire and Sir Stelios Hajiloannou

Run the annual Stelios Disabled Entrepreneur Award with a prize of £50 000.You can find more information on the application procedure by visiting the organization's website.

Benefits Enquiry Line
for advice about all benefits and how to claim them.
Phone free: 0800 882200 (Mon-Fri 8.30-18.30, Sat 9.00-13.00);
For help filling in claim forms, phone free: 0800 441144.

Disability Benefits Helpline
Tel: 0845 7123456, for advice on Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance.

Citizens Advice Bureau (CABs)
Provides advice on a wide range of money, housing, legal and other problems. See your phone book for local numbers.

DIAL (Disability Information Advice Line)
Run mostly by disabled people. See phone book for your local DIAL or call DIAL-UK.
Tel/text phone: (01302) 310123.

Disability Rights Commission.
Helpline: 0845 7622633 (Mon-Fri 8.00-20.00);

Disabled Living Centres (DLCs)
Local centres where you can see, try out and get information and advice on equipment. See 'Equipment and aids for daily living' under 'Help with everyday needs' for a list of centres or call the Disabled Living Centres Council.
Tel: (0161) 834 1044;

RADAR (The Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation)
Has a wide selection of helpful publications.
Tel: (020) 7250 3222

This article has been published in Issue 5 of Action for Social Integration's Community Advice E-Newsletter, August 29th 2010

---

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

§  Business Opportunities in Vietnam

§  Ready, willing and disabled

§  Balancing Important TO and Important FOR Improves Listening

Ads by Google

Self Employed Working
A Free Guide To Explain Options For Contract And Freelance Workers
www.Brookson.co.uk/SelfEmployedHelp

Dealing with Entitlements to NHS treatment
Posted on June 10, 2010 by Action for Social Integration

Entitlements to free NHS treatment for people from abroad. What help with healthcare costs can you get if you are in low income?

The NHS (National Healthcare Services) is the public healthcare system in the UK through which the majority of healthcare in the country is provided. Even though a large number of its services are free, there are others which have to be paid for. This article will introduce (1) some of the free hospital treatments you are entitled to if you are coming from abroad, and (2) some of the options for financial support available to people on a low income.

Which people from abroad are entitled to free hospital treatment?

Firstly, you need to know that there are some healthcare treatments provided by the NHS which are available free of charge for everyone, regardless of the length of your stay in the UK. Please, find a list of these services below:
- Treatment for accidents and emergencies (your treatment will be free unless you get removed from the emergency department into a hospital, in which case you might be charged for your hospital treatment)
- Compulsory psychiatric treatment
- Treatment for certain communicable diseases (tuberculosis, cholera, food poisoning, malaria, meningitis and pandemic influenza, testing for the HIV virus and counseling following a test)
- Family planning services

Yet, only some people from abroad can receive all NHS treatments free of charge.  In order to find out whether you are entitled to free healthcare treatments, please check if the following conditions apply to you:

+You have been living legally in the UK for at least 12 months and you did not come to the UK for private medical treatment (temporary absences from the UK for up to 3 months will not  disrupt your eligibility)
+You are a former UK resident returning from abroad
+You are temporary working abroad (but normally work in the UK), have at least 10 years continuous residence in the UK and have been abroad for less than 5 years
+You have been granted a leave to enter or remain as a spouse
+You are receiving a UK war disablement pension or a war widows` pension
+You are an asylum seeker (awaiting decision on your asylum application) or have been granted exceptional leave to remain or refugee status.
+You are imprisoned in the UK or detained by UK immigration authorities
+You are a UK pensioner who spends up to 6 months a year living in another country from the European Economic Area but you are not a resident of this country.
+You are a student following a course of study which lasts at least 6 months, or is substantially funded by the UK government.

! Remember, your entitlement to free NHS treatment depends on the length and type of your residence in the UK, not your nationality.

! Remember, if you are entitled to free NHS hospital treatment, you spouse, civil partner and dependent children are also entitled to it but only if they live permanently with you in the UK.

What help with health costs can you get if you are on a low income?

There are a number of medical charges for which you can get financial help: prescription charges, dental charges, sight tests, vouchers towards the cost of glasses and contact lenses, travel costs to and from hospital for NHS treatment as well as travelling abroad for treatment, wigs and fabric supports (e.g., abdominal support, spinal support, support tights).

The requirements for financial support with each one of these treatments vary and this is why we would recommend that you check the list of requirements for the treatment which interests you at the website of Adviceguide.

In all cases, you will be entitled to free treatment if you are on Income Support, income-based Jobseeker`s Allowance, income-based Support Allowance or the guarantee credit part of Pension Credit. In this case, your partner and children will also be entitled to free treatment. If you are getting Working Tax Credit and/or Child Tax Credit, your eligibility to free treatment will depend on your income.

Yet, even if you do not qualify for free treatments for any of the medical procedure mentioned above, you might still be able to receive support under the NHS Low Income Scheme. In this case, the amount of financial help you can get will depend on the amount of your income.  Depending on your income, you can get a Full Health Certificate or a Limited Health Certificate. Follow this link to learn more about this certificates and the help they give you access to.

To apply for either the Full Health Certificate or the Limited Health Certificate, you need to complete the form HC1 and send it to the address below (the HC1 form is available from local benefit offices, NHS hospitals and some GPs).

NHS Business Services Authority
Sandyford House, Archibald Terrace, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 1DB
Tel: 0845 850 1166, E-mail: lis1@ppa.nhs.uk, Website: http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/.

! Remember, you do not need to have a problem in order to apply for a certificate. The earlier you apply the better. If you need to pay for a health treatment before having obtained a certificate under the low income scheme, you can get a refund for your charge. You will need to fill the form HC5 to claim your refund, which is available from local benefit offices, NHS hospitals, and some GPs and send it to the address given above.

Ads by Google

Beauty Retouching DVD
54 hi-quality beauty retouching tutorials in CS4 + CS5
www.grygarness.com/dvds/beau