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SCOTLAND - Challenge Poverty Week is underway in Scotland. There is still time to get involved. 

The project aims to raise a unified voice against poverty and show that we all want to live in a more just and equal Scotland.  To build awareness and support for solutions to poverty.  To change the conversation around poverty and help end the stigma of living on a low income,

It is not to late to get involved. You can If you want to get involved but aren’t sure how you can make an impact, you can join one of the sector specific Get Involved Meetings to discuss with other organisations what you can do to make a difference. See a full list of the meetings and sign up here.

Image: Challenge Poverty Week has SNP support. 

To mark the beginning of Challenge Poverty Week, the SNP has called again on the Tories to make the Universal Credit increase permanent and extend it to legacy benefits, following a new report.

The report, published today by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, sets out how the UK government must do more to match Scottish Government efforts in tackling poverty – including maintaining the temporary £20 increase to Universal Credit, which they say has been a lifeline for millions, beyond April 2021 and extending it to all legacy benefits.

The SNP Scottish Government has delivered almost 96,000 affordable homes since 2007 with plans to deliver more, announced £100 million to support people looking for work or at risk of redundancy and rolled out the game-changing Scottish Child Payment which could support up to 194,000 children this year.

SNP MPs have also repeatedly urged the UK government to make Universal Credit advance payments non-repayable grants instead of loans, whereby advance payments become non-repayable grants once the claimant has been deemed eligible for Universal Credit.

This would take away the need to reverse the five-week wait, which the DWP has said would be “operationally challenging” and prevent people from falling into, or further into, debt.

Image: Neil Gray MP.

Commenting, Neil Gray MP (pictured) said:

“This report is very welcome at the start of Challenge Poverty Week and at a time when the need for further UK government action to tackle child poverty has never been greater. 

“As the Joseph Rowntree Foundation have highlighted, the UK government must start matching Scottish Government efforts if they are serious about tackling child poverty - and they should start by extending the furlough scheme and making the £20 increase to Universal Credit permanent, as well as extending it to legacy benefits. This could lift 25,000 children out of poverty.

“Taking this action would be a good first step in rebuilding the social security net but far more needs to be done if they are to make up for the damage caused by ten years of brutal austerity cuts – including scrapping the five week wait, benefit cap, two-child cap and the sanctions regime - which all exacerbate child poverty – and urgently rolling out an emergency basic payment to help families in financial difficulty.

“With unemployment rising and people’s working hours and incomes being cut back, it is more pressing than ever that the proper financial support is forthcoming.

“If the Tories fail to act, the inequality gap will widen, people will fall into or further into debt and hardship, and millions will face or continue to live in poverty.”

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POVERTY - According to their website: 

Anti-Poverty Week supports the Australian community to have an increased understanding of poverty and to take action collectively to end it. We are a diverse network of individuals and organisations who share this purpose.  Since 2002, we have been active each year in the week around the 17th of October, the United Nations Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

Our key message is: Poverty exists. Poverty hurts us all.  We can all do something about it.  It is one of hope, not despair.  In 2020, Anti-Poverty Week will be held from the 11th to the 17th of October.  

We hope to bring you more on this. Meanwhile Anti-Poverty week is underway in Scotland. More on this shortly.

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PENSIONS - As the State Pension age rises to 66 today, new research by the personal finance experts at money.co.uk, reveals that over two million working Brits don’t think they will ever be able to afford to retire.

The poll of workers from across the UK, sadly also unearthed that a further 3.5million workers felt they would be working until they were at least 71, long after they hit 2020’s retirement age of 66 and still further beyond the new 2026 retirement age of 67. 

In addition, 80% said they were not banking on claiming a state pension and had taken out personal pensions to be able to afford to live once they eventually stopped working.

The state pension age is rising to 66 today, meaning hundreds of thousands of Brits will have to wait longer to start claiming.

And the money.co.uk research shows that one in four workers have also changed their pension plans due to COVID, as they either look to increase payments to try and save for the future or reduce their monthly inputs due to economic hardships.

• 2million think they will be working forever
• 3.5million UK workers think they will still be working after they turn 71
• 80% of Brits are not banking on a state pension
• 40% don’t understand the process it takes to obtain their pension
• 1 in 4 have changed their pension plan due to COVID
• New guide to getting savings back on track launches - https://www.money.co.uk/guides/coronavirus-getting-your-retirement-savings-back-on-track

Salman Haqqi, personal finance expert at money.co.uk, said: “The thought of having to work everyday for the rest of your life is a pretty bleak one, but it is the reality facing many workers across the country as the financial aftermath of coronavirus undoubtably impacts our future retirement plans.

“Despite millions being eligible for a state pension, and despite paying for it through National insurance contributions, the majority of us are not relying on it.

“Our data also revealed that 40% of people didn’t understand how to go about obtaining their pension, even though they had one. Planning ahead, understanding your pension options and saving as much as you can afford to budget for, really is the only way to ensure you future proof your finances.”

The increase to the state pension age - which goes up from 65 to 66 - applies to both men and women born after October 5, 1954. It means anyone born after this date will have to work at least another year before they can access their state-paid retirement fund.

Savvy workers in the Financial Sector are the most likely (25%) to have increased their pension contributions during COVID-19, whereas those struggling in  arts and culture roles are the most likely (32%) to have decreased the amount they are saving each month.

Regionally workers in Brighton are most concerned that they will not 1 in 5 of workers in Brighton will be working above the age of 71 and a further 1 in 10 don’t think they will ever be able to afford to stop working

To help workers across the UK understand their pensions better,  the personal finance experts at money.co.uk have written a guide to getting your retirement savings back on track during the recession.

https://www.money.co.uk/guides/coronavirus-getting-your-retirement-savings-back-on-track

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TRAINING - Economy Minister Diane Dodds today announced 3,000 free online training places for people whose employment has been disrupted by the pandemic.

Representing an investment of £4.6million, the courses will have a focus on digital skills and be delivered by the local colleges and universities.

Encouraging people to apply, the Minister said: “I am keenly aware of the impact Covid-19 has had on the employment of so many people across a wide range of sectors. These 3,000 online training places will provide people with the opportunity to upskill and reskill, enabling them to pursue a career in what are growing local sectors.

“Developing the skills of our people right across Northern Ireland is a key priority for me as we begin the process of rebuilding our economy. This investment builds on my previous announcement in June of £1.7million for online training places and I am determined to keep skills at the centre of our long term strategic plans.

“Courses will be available from both further and higher education institutions and I urge anyone who is eligible to access this free training.”

The courses will be delivered online, except where there is a technical aspect which requires face-to-face learning.

More details of the courses available and how to access them are at https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/free-short-term-courses-improve-skills

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DWP - Jobseekers will be offered coaching and advice on moving into "growing sectors" as part of a £238m employment programme, the government has said.

Job Entry Targeted Support is aimed at helping those out of work because of Covid-19 for three months.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Therese Coffey said: “JETS will give recently unemployed people the helping hand they need to get back into work, boosting the prospects of more than a quarter of a million people across Britain.

“We have provided unprecedented support for jobs during the pandemic including through furlough and subsidising the incomes of the self-employed, doing all we can to protect people’s livelihoods, but sadly not every job can be saved.

“This scheme will help those left out of work as a result of Covid-19, and is one strand of our wider Plan for Jobs which will also support young people on to the jobs ladder through Kickstart, offer the training needed to pivot into new roles through our Sector Based Work Academy Programme and prepare people for getting back into work.”

But Labour said the scheme "offers very little new support" and it was "too little too late".

Last month, official figures showed that the UK unemployment rate had risen to its highest level for two years, with young people particularly hard hit.

ABC Note: Potentially four million people could lose their jobs when the furlough scheme ends. 

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TRAINING - The Assured Skills Academy, focussing on Future Business Skills, will see participants receive industry-relevant pre-employment training at Belfast Met. Participants who complete the training are guaranteed a job interview for a role at PwC in Belfast.

Encouraging eligible people to apply, the Minister said: “I am pleased to announce another Assured Skills Academy offering high quality training places for people with degrees.

“PwC is a hugely successful company seeking to grow its team in Belfast. I encourage eligible people seeking to start, or change, their career and who are interested in the cutting-edge professional services sector to apply for this Assured Skills Academy.”

The Minister added: “Continuing to grow our local skills base will be key to the economic recovery. Assured Skills Academies have a track record of success in upskilling and reskilling people to put them in a strong position to secure employment, and we are working to bring forward more Academies in the near future.”

Deborah Stevenson, Operate Director at PwC, said: “We’re delighted to be able to open up a further 20 spaces for our Future Business Academy. These high quality training places offer opportunities to recent graduates and people wishing to change career and are key to support the growth within our business."

The Future Business Skills Academy will focus on a range of areas including Financial Crime, Compliance Testing, Customer Management, PMO Services and Business Operations.

The Academy will last 10 weeks, including a two-week break for Christmas, and be delivered primarily virtually, although applicants should be prepared to attend some classes in a Belfast Met campus.

Louise Warde-Hunter, Principal and Chief Executive at Belfast Met, said: “We are delighted to be delivering this programme. It comes on the back of a series of successful academies that have been delivered remotely over the past number of months resulting in many job opportunities for the programme participants. 

“Even in these most challenging of times the commitment of PwC to offer such highly skilled roles is to be commended and we look forward to delivering this programme in partnership with them.”

Applications for the PwC Future Business Skills Assured Skills Academy are open until 12 October 2020. No experience is required. Applicants must hold a 2:2 degree or better in any discipline.

For more information and to apply visit: www.nidirect.gov.uk/assured-skills

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FURLOUGH ENDS - Today is the deadline for SMEs to issue redundancy notices if they are planning to lay off between 20 and 99 people when furlough ends on October 31.

At PMQs yesterday the PM said “we will do everything we can to save every job” before adding, in the same answer, “we cannot save every job.”

ABC Note: Furlough was an emergency stopgap used to protect almost all jobs during lockdown.

But now that much of the economy has reopened, the government says its replacement will only support ''viable jobs which provide genuine security''.

These are jobs there is a current need for, which aren't just being propped up by the furlough scheme. As such, only employees who can work at least a third of their hours will be eligible. 

What is the Job Support Scheme?

The Job Support Scheme will run for six months from 1 November.

It will top up salaries in firms which cannot take employees back full-time.

To be eligible, employees must work for at least one-third of their normal hours.

For the hours not worked, the government and employer will each pay one-third of the remaining wages. This means the employee would get at least 77% of their pay.

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SOCIAL SECURITY FRAUD - The Social Security Administration and its Office of the Inspector General (OIG) announced four new Cooperative Disability Investigations (CDI) Units opened across the country. CDI Units identify, investigate, and prevent Social Security disability fraud, and are a very successful part of the agency’s anti-fraud initiative. Four new statewide offices recently opened across the country, in Cheyenne, Wyoming; Las Vegas, Nevada; Manchester, New Hampshire; and Omaha, Nebraska.

The CDI Program helps ensure the integrity of Federal disability programs by resolving questions of potential fraud before benefits are ever paid. The innovative initiative continues to be successful by bringing together personnel from Social Security, its OIG, State Disability Determination Services (DDS), and local law enforcement agencies to investigate and analyze suspicious or questionable Social Security disability claims. CDI Unit efforts assist disability examiners in making informed decisions, ensure payment accuracy, and generate significant taxpayer savings for both Federal and State programs.

“Social Security has zero tolerance for fraud and the CDI Program serves a vital role in detecting potential fraud and preventing it,” said Andrew Saul, Commissioner of Social Security. “We tirelessly work at the national and local levels to stop would-be crooks and continue to be good stewards of taxpayer money by protecting the integrity of our programs.”

The CDI Program consists of 49 units covering 44 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories. Social Security and OIG have opened many units in the last few years as they work together to provide CDI coverage for all 50 states by 2022.

“For more than 20 years, CDI investigations have made a significant impact on the integrity of Social Security’s disability programs and provided critical evidence for those making disability determinations,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for Social Security. “Through this investigative work, we have saved an estimated 7 billion dollars and helped deter those who fraudulently seek to receive or retain benefits. We welcome Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, and Wyoming as they join us in this important endeavor.”

Since 1997, when Social Security and OIG established CDI, its efforts have contributed to $4 billion in projected savings to Social Security’s programs, and $3 billion in projected savings to other Federal and State programs. For more information, please visit the OIG website at https://oig.ssa.gov/ and Social Security’s anti-fraud website at www.socialsecurity.gov/antifraudfacts/.

ABC Note: Cooperative Disability Investigations Units, SSA’s premier fraud investigation and prevention tool, were first established in 1998, with 5 CDI units. By 2010, SSA had expanded to 20 units. Despite declining resources, SSA has managed to open 5 more units (including one in Puerto Rico) since 2010. CDI investigations have saved American taxpayers $3.6 billion by denying or halting benefits to 30,000 fraudsters.

They have sent a powerful message that the government have zero tolerance for Social Security fraud. How CDI units work Each CDI unit includes a Special Agent from the Office of the Inspector General who serves as team leader, front-line SSA employees (including state disability determination services staff) who contribute programmatic expertise, and state or local law enforcement officers. Using their combined skills and knowledge, the units follow leads about individual and conspiracy fraud, both to ensure that justice is served in individual cases and to identify patterns of fraud and potential facilitators for future investigations.

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DWP POSTAL SITES - We get asked a lot about where to send mail to. 

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is modernising how it receives and processes post by gradually changing from a paper-led system to a digital solution. This has resulted in changes to office postal addresses. The updated details are provided to help you correctly address correspondence.

1. How to get the correct correspondence address for offices using the service

There are 2 annexes showing details of office addresses.

Annex A contains details of the office that transferred to the modernised service most recently, from November 2015 to winter 2017. The following business units are involved:

• Compensation Recovery Unit
• Disability Living Allowance 65+
• Employment Support Allowance
• Fraud and Error Service
• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
• Social Fund

More offices will be added to this document as they approach their rollout date.

Annex B includes the addresses of offices that transferred to the service from August 2013 to spring 2015.

There will be no postal changes for offices that are not shown within either Annex A or Annex B - continue to use their current address.

2. Postal diversions and business reply envelopes (BREs)

All external partners, including local councils, should make sure they are using the appropriate business reply envelopes for those offices using the service. These can be obtained in the usual way. The business reply envelope process does not apply to the Compensation Recovery Unit - refer to Annex A for the new postal address.

3. Further information about the service

DWP has a service for opening, scanning and indexing post on its receipt. Processing staff are then notified when a scanned image is available for action.

The scanning service provides efficiencies to the department, as well as citizens, For example:

• documents are traced and processed more quickly
• certificates, wage slips and other valuable documents are returned to citizens on the day of receipt
• scanned images cannot be altered, ensuring that documents cannot be tampered with, or information lost

All business units within the Pensions Directorate, Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment, amongst others, are benefiting from the service provided by mail opening units in Kidderminster and Telford. Offices using this service have a Wolverhampton postal address.

In addition to the scanning and indexing facility, the mail units are also providing a hard copy post opening and distribution service for the other DWP business areas, some of which are currently transferring to the scanning process.

4. Annex A: Office addresses for Compensation Recovery Unit, DLA 65+, ESA, Fraud and Error Service, IIDB and Social Fund

4.1 Compensation Recovery Unit

4.2 Disability Living Allowance 65+ (DLA65+)

4.3 Employment Support Allowance (ESA)

4.4 Fraud and Error Service

The Fraud and Error Prevention Service (FEPS) is part of FES.

4.5 Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB)

4.6 Social Fund

5. Annex B: Other offices using the new service

PENSION CREDIT - Communities Minister Carál Ní Chuilín is encouraging people to make sure they don’t miss out on claiming Pension Credit they may be entitled to.

Pension Credit is an income-related benefit and means that people need not live on less than £173.75 per week (for single people) or £265.20 per week (for couples). You could be eligible even if you have a pension, savings or own your own home.  In addition, you might get more if you’re a Carer, severely disabled, responsible for a child or young person, or have certain housing costs.  You don’t pay tax on Pension Credit.

If someone has reached State Pension age before the 6 April 2016, they may be also entitled to extra money if they have made some provision towards their retirement such as savings or a private pension. This is called Savings Credit and could be up to £13.97 per week (for a single person) or £15.62 per week (for a couple).

Encouraging people to check to see if they are eligible to claim, Minister Ní Chuilín said “It only takes a few minutes to see if you are missing out on extra money. I would encourage people to go online or call the Pension Centre on 0800 587 0892 to make sure they are not missing out on everything they are entitled to. This is especially important during these challenging times when many people are experiencing financial difficulties and any additional income they are entitled to should therefore be claimed.”

The Minister added:  “It is important to dispel some myths people might hold. Having savings, a pension or owning a home are not necessarily barriers to receiving pension credit and even a small award of pension credit can provide access to other costs such as housing costs, dental & optical treatment.”

If you are over State Pension Age it only takes a few minutes to make sure you are getting all you are entitled to. You can check by calling the Pension Centre line on 0800 587 0892 or by visiting www.nidirect.gov.uk/information-and-services/state-pension/pension-credit. There’s also an online calculator to check if you’re likely to be eligible and get an estimate of what you may receive.

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