Essex Benefits Plus offers a range of benefits training courses suitable for all abilities, from those with limited or no experience of the benefits system through to those with a good working benefits knowledge.
Places are free for Essex County Council staff and staff from external agencies working with residents in the county.
The courses are delivered by a team of nine advisers who keep the content up to date and relevant. Our day courses run from 9.30am to 4pm and are based in venues around Essex.
Our core courses include:
This course will give an overview of the benefits and tax credits system, concentrating on the main benefits people claim.
Time involved: one day
Start time: prompt start at 9.30am (refreshments from 9.15am)
Finish time: 4pm
Level of experience: This course is suitable for those with minimal or no experience of working with benefits and tax credits or the social security system. It is also suitable for those who want a basic refresher course.
Course content includes:
- information about who can claim
- exercises and activities to consolidate learning
- how to claim and what sources of help are available
Employment and Support Allowance is a benefit for people who have limited capability for work.
Time involved: one day
Start time: prompt start at 9.30am (refreshments from 9.15am)
Finish time: 4pm
Level of experience: Suitable for those who have little or no knowledge of this benefit. It is also suitable for those keen to refresh their knowledge.
Course content includes:
- who can claim
- what is limited capability for work
- implications for those already claiming incapacity-related benefits
- what is meant by work-related activities
- exercises and activities to consolidate learning
Employment and Support Allowance is a benefit for people who have limited capability for work.
Increasing numbers of claimants are experiencing difficulty scoring sufficient points on the medical requirement. Therefore a high number of requests for help and support with appeals are made.
Time involved: one day
Start time: prompt start at 9.30am (refreshments from 9.15am)
Finish time: 4pm
Level of experience: The course will not cover the basic rules of limited capability for work. Participants will need to have attended our Employment and Support Allowance course or have the equivalent experience. This course is aimed at building confidence for participants so that they can help claimants challenge or appeal a decision.
Course content includes:
- what decisions can be changed
- time limits for appealing
- how to provide supporting evidence
- implications for those already claiming incapacity-related benefits
- activities to consolidate learning
This course is designed to give an understanding of the main benefits for pre-pension-age adults who are not at work. It will also cover the benefits available when in work or returning to work.
Time involved: one day
Start time: prompt start at 9.30am (refreshments from 9.15am)
Finish time: 4pm
Level of experience: we recommend attending our one-day Introduction to Benefits course or having an equivalent level of benefits knowledge before attending.
Course content includes:
- criteria for Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance
- permitted work rules for incapacity related benefits
- the possible impact on other benefits
- benefits when returning to work
- how to claim these benefits
This course will deliver a basic understanding of entitlement to Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance and will illustrate how to submit an effective claim. There will also be a brief section on Personal Independence Payment.
Time involved: one day
Start time: prompt start at 9.30am (refreshments from 9.15am) Finish time: 4pm
Level of experience: This course is suitable for practitioners who have limited experience, or who want to boost their existing benefits knowledge of Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance.
Course content includes:
- who can claim
- case studies and form-filling
- decision-making for Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance
This course will spend the morning delivering a basic understanding of entitlement to Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance. The afternoon will cover benefits for carers, including Carer’s Allowance, and ways of reducing council tax.
Time involved: one day
Start time: prompt start at 9.30am (refreshments from 9.15am)
Finish time: 4pm
Level of experience: This course is suitable for practitioners who have limited experience, or who want to boost their existing benefits knowledge of Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance and carers benefits.
Course content includes:
- who can claim Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance
- who can claim Carer’s Allowance
- when Carer’s Allowance affects another persons benefits
- ways of reducing council tax
- case studies to consolidate learning
This course will examine Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.
Time involved: one day
Start time: prompt start at 9.30am (refreshments from 9.15am)
Finish time: 4pm
Level of experience: This course is suitable for those with minimal or no experience of working with Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and for practitioners who want a refresher course.
Course content includes:
- who can claim
- a basic understanding of how the amounts are calculated
- other possible help with Council Tax apart from Main Council Tax Benefit
- how to claim
This course looks at how the benefits system applies to young people including the complex rules for 16-to-17-year-olds.
Time involved: one day
Start time: prompt start at 9.30am (refreshments from 9.15am)
Finish time: 4pm
Level of experience: This course is suitable for those with minimal or no experience of working with benefits for 16-to-25-year-olds. It is also suitable for those who want a basic refresher course.
Course content includes:
- benefits for young people
- the effect of being a care leaver
- hardship payments
- estrangement for 16 and 17-year-olds
- activities to consolidate learning