Group training (5-18 staff): Commercial rate £955; Standard / Concessionary £890 + plus trainer’s expenses + VAT
‘Very knowledgeable trainer, able to answer a range of questions. Good delivery of content.’
Executive Assistant, Single Homelessness Project
‘Really well presented, interesting and informative training.’
Grants Administrator, Teaching Staff Trust
Course contains
- Factors that affect entitlement
- The structure of the benefits and tax credits system
- Benefit definitions – who can claim each benefit?
- Work capability
- Disability benefits
- Benefits for different client groups
- Work related requirements
- The impact of Universal Credit
- Completing a basic benefits check
- Challenging decisions
Learning outcomes
After this course, you will be able to:
-
Understand how the benefits system is structured and the differences between contributory, non-contributory and means tested benefits;
-
Know who can claim each of the benefits which make up the system;
-
Have an awareness of common issues affecting people when claiming health and disability benefits;
-
Understand how ongoing reforms are affecting the wider system;
-
Know how packages of entitlements can be claimed together;
-
Be able to complete basic benefit checks to ensure people are claiming their likely entitlements;
-
Be able to advise people on how to make claims and how to challenge decisions;
Suitable for
This course is important for those who are new to benefits or who need a refresher.
Please note: we also offer an introductory level course for staff who are purely interested in Universal Credit: ‘Universal Credit Overview’ which is next running on 30 October.
Meet the trainers
David Stickland
David has been a Shelter trainer since 2003. He has extensive experience as a Citizens Advice and local authority benefits caseworker.
David now combines training with working in frontline advice. He is the lead trainer at the Benefits Training Company and works as an adviser on a busy telephone advice service in London. He runs a large number of Shelter's Housing Benefit and Welfare Benefits courses.
Before becoming a benefits adviser, David worked abroad as an English language teacher where he developed an interactive training style that is engaging, informative and enjoyable.
