Help & Advice Welfare Rights Advice Welfare Rights Advice Updated Thursday 8th July 2021Due to the overwhelming rise in demand, with immediate effect, our Welfare Rights team are unable to assist with any new requests for help with the completion of benefit forms. We're sorry to anyone who needs support but the team will be able to help again once the backlog has been cleared. We will update you as soon as the team are able to take new referrals for benefit forms. They are still able to offer welfare rights support, along with mandatory reconsiderations and appeals. Due to current demand we do have a waiting list but endeavour to get in touch as soon as possible. Thanks for your patience. Click here to send us an enquiry What we can help with... Complete benefit forms Check over forms you have completed General benefit advice Help with Mandatory Reconsideration (if benefit has been refused) Representation at tribunal What we cannot do... Tell you what you are entitled to Not support fraudulent claims How much does it cost? We charge £20 to help with benefit form completion Tips and important notes to remember... A diagnosis of Autism does not mean automatic entitlement to benefits Always check letters from the DWP or HMRC, to avoid any overpayment PIP, ESA and DLA forms should always show the functionality of a claimant Reports and letters should reflect the completed benefit forms Make a copy of everything Send by recorded or signed for delivery Use our booklets for help with completing forms If you are unable to send the forms back within the time frame, let the DWP know Let other statutory agencies know if you get an award (council, HMRC) as this may affect entitlement to other benefits Facebook Support Group Due to welfare reform and the migration of benefits, Autism Anglia's small Welfare Rights Team (of 2 people) are working at full capacity. During this busy period, we have created a Facebook group for individuals with autism and carers, to give help and support with benefit enquiries. We have compiled a useful PIP booklet, which can be downloaded here. If you made a claim for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and you didn't get the award that you think you were entitled to, you don't have to give up. This guide will help you decide if you should challenge the decision. It and the accompanying tool will help you ask the DWP to look at their decision again. This is called a 'mandatory reconsideration’. If they don’t change the decision straight away, this guide shows you how to appeal the decision and win. (You must ask for a reconsideration before you can appeal). This guide is for everybody who thinks the DWP made the wrong decision about their application for PIP. A survival guide to benefit sanctions This guide will help you to plan ahead to avoid a benefit sanction where possible, and if not, will help you to work out what to do about it. This guide is for you if you want to avoid getting sanctioned, work out what to do about a benefits sanction, or understand more about how the benefit sanctions system works-Advicenow Please select a donation amount (required) £10 Contributes towards the cost of our team in supporting someone with the transition to Universal Credit £25 Would pay for an hour long telephone call to someone in Crisis. £50 Would enable our advisors to give a talk to a group/school about getting the right for people on the autism spectrum. Other Set up a regular payment Donate