Service description
Action on Disability's welfare benefits service - A free and independent benefits advice and assistance to disabled adults and children of all ages – including parents and carers of disabled children – living in the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham. Hands-on casework up to First-Tier Tribunal level, and in some cases, Upper Tribunal level. Specialist advice workers and volunteers operate by appointment only.
Can assist with:
Disability Living Allowance
Employment and Support Allowance
PIP – Personal Independence Payment
Universal Credit
Housing Benefit
Council Tax
Funded until
31 March 2028
Annual funding level
£88,220
In the past year, this service has...
dealt with 531 cases as well as giving advice by telephone and e-mail. It also handled 2,150 phone calls, of which about half entailed giving one-off advice to other organisations and disabled people in the H&F borough.
Number of residents supported:
531 cases worked with, and volunteers supported 208 residents.
Use of volunteers:
Three volunteers delivered 624 hours of work. This is the equivalent to £6,770, if the London Living Wage is applied to the volunteering hours.
Outcome for residents
Reduced financial hardship for residents (total value of one-off lump sums for residents was £84,820; total value of increased weekly benefits for residents was £12,226, as welfare benefits are expected to be awarded for at least a year, the total will be higher).
Local parents are better informed about their right and entitlements (WB talks to Parents Active with 39 attendees and Queensmill school, 16 attendees, via Zoom).
In 2020, the service was mostly delivered online, in a Covid-19 safe way.
Funding raised:
£ £1,328,780
Future plans:
To continue to deliver a full service whilst working from home with limited access to AoD offices.
To recruit a new volunteer to help with the increasing demand for form-filling in the borough.
To host further WB Zoom meetings with Parents Active and Queensmill School.