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 authorities
- Benefit definitions - who can claim each benefit?
- Benefits for different client groups
- Understanding means tested benefits
- Claiming the right means-tested benefit
- Possible better-off situations
- Understanding amounts
- Making successful claims and getting paid
- Using the appeals system effectively
- The impact of welfare reform.
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 the principles behind means testing and how the benefit authorities work out entitlement
- Know which benefits can be paid at the same time and those which cannot
- 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
- Have an awareness of welfare reform and how the benefits system is likely to change.
Suitable for
This course provides an essential introduction for people who are either new to benefits work or require 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.
