Resource Hub
Quick Links to most popular downloads
- Adult Disability Payment application form for organisations
- Child Disability Payment application form for organisations
- Interactive ADP form
Limited Capability for Work
- ESA 3 – Employment and Support Allowance Application for re-assessment
Challenging a decision
- Adult Disability Payment re-determination form
- Child Disability Payment re-determination form
- Adult Disability Payment appeals form
- Child Disability Payment appeals form
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Booking a venue
ACVO Opportunities
Hire a community space from a third sector organisation in Aberdeen at competitive rates for your meeting, event or presentation!
The money you spend on hire goes directly to help support the vital work of host organisations in Aberdeen – make a real difference while taking the chance to work in the heart of the community.
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Capability for work forms (ESA & UC)
Capability for work questionnaire
Only fill in this capability for work questionnaire (ESA50) if you’re asked to do so – this is not a claim form.
Capability for work questionnaire – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
UC50 form: Universal Credit capability for work questionnaire
Only fill in this capability for work questionnaire (UC50) if you’re asked to do so, this is not a claim form.
UC50 form: Universal Credit capability for work questionnaire – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
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Capital Limits for Benefits
Capital Limits for Benefits
For Pension Credit
The first £10,000 of capital is ignored, and the claimant is treated as a having a “deemed income” of £1 a week for every £500 of capital above this amount. There is no upper capital limit.
For Housing Benefit
Claimants above the qualifying age for Pension Credit, the £10,000 lower capital limit also applies, as does the more generous tariff income rate of £1 a week for each £500 of capital. However, the upper capital limit of £16,000 beyond which no benefit is payable still applies.
For Universal Credit
If you have below £6,000 it will not affect your award. If you have money, savings and investments between £6,000 and £16,000 your Universal Credit payments will be reduced. Your payments will be reduced by £4.35 for every £250 you have between £6,000 and £16,000. Another £4.35 is taken off for any remaining amount that is not a complete £250.
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Council Tax Bands & Local Housing Allowance rates
Aberdeen City Council Tax and Scottish Water charges 2023-24
| Council Tax band | Council Tax charge | Water supply | Waste water collection | Total charges to be paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band A | £993.03 | £154.98 | £179.88 | £1,327.89 |
| Band B | £1,158.54 | £180.81 | £209.86 | £1,549.21 |
| Band C | £1,324.04 | £206.64 | £239.84 | £1,770.52 |
| Band D | £1,489.55 | £232.47 | £269.82 | £1,991.84 |
| Band E | £1,957.10 | £284.13 | £329.78 | £2,571.01 |
| Band F | £2,420.52 | £335.79 | £389.74 | £3,146.05 |
| Band G | £2,917.04 | £387.45 | £449.70 | £3,754.19 |
| Band H | £3,649.40 | £464.94 | £539.64 | £4,653.98 |
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Aberdeenshire Council Tax and Scottish Water charges 2023-24
| Property Valuation | Band | Council Tax | Water | Sewerage | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| up to £27,000 | A | £928.95 | £154.98 | £179.88 | £1,263.81 |
| £27,001 – £35,000 | B | £1,083.77 | £180.81 | £209.86 | £1,474.44 |
| £35,001 – £45,000 | C | £1,238.60 | £206.64 | £239.84 | £1,685.08 |
| £45,001 – £58,000 | D | £1,393.42 | £232.47 | £269.82 | £1,895.71 |
| £58,001 – £80,000 | E | £1,830.80 | £284.13 | £329.78 | £2,444.71 |
| £80,001 – £106,000 | F | £2,264.31 | £335.79 | £389.74 | £2,989.84 |
| £106,001 – £212,000 | G | £2,728.78 | £387.45 | £449.70 | £3,565.93 |
| £212,001 and over | H | £3,413.88 | £464.94 | £539.64 | £4,418.46 |
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Aberdeen Local Housing Allowance rates
- Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates are used to calculate Housing Benefit or Universal Credit Housing Costs for tenants renting from private landlords. These rates are based on private market rents, and are limited by legislation.
- The table below shows the LHA rates valid from 1 April 2020 until 31 March 2024.
| Number of bedrooms | Weekly rate | Calendar monthly equivalent* |
|---|---|---|
| Shared room rate | £74.79 | £324.09 |
| 1 bedroom | £97.81 | £423.84 |
| 2 bedrooms | £136.93 | £593.35 |
| 3 bedrooms | £172.60 | £747.93 |
| 4 bedrooms | £230.14 |
£997.27 |
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DWP Guidance & Advice
Advice for decision making: staff guide
This advice for DWP decision makers covers:
- Universal Credit (UC)
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) for people who are eligible for Universal Credit
The advice in the Decision makers’ guide applies in all other cases.
Join the DWP mailing list to find out when they update this publication by emailing dma.leedsmailinglist@dwp.gov.uk
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Benefit overpayment recovery guide
- This guide has been produced by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to provide an overview to staff regarding overpayment policy.
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Decision makers’ guide
This guidance is for DWP staff who make decisions about benefits and pensions. It helps them make decisions that are accurate and consistent.
The introduction of Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment affects the guidance DWP staff use.
DWP decision makers now use Advice for decision making (instead of the DMG) for decisions that involve:
- Universal Credit
- Personal Independence Payment
- contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance and contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance for people who are eligible for Universal Credit
- Decision makers’ guide: Vol 1: Decision making and appeals: staff guide
- Decision makers’ guide: Vol 2: International subjects: staff guide
- Decision makers’ guide: Vol 3: Subjects common to all benefits: staff guide
- Decision makers’ guide: Vols 4, 5, 6 and 7: Jobseeker’s Allowance and Income Support: staff guide
- Decision makers’ guide: Vols 8 and 9: Employment and Support Allowance: staff guide
- Decision makers’ guide: Vol 10: Benefits for incapacity, disability, maternity and bereavement: staff guide
- Decision makers’ guide: Vol 11: Industrial injuries benefits: staff guide
- Decision makers’ guide: Vol 12: Pensions: staff guide
- Decision makers’ guide: Vols 13 and 14: State Pension Credit: staff guide
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Rules on Capital
- DWP: Decision maker’s guide Chapter 29 – IS & JSA: Capital
- DWP: Decision maker’s guide Chapter 52 – ESA: Capital
- DWP: Decision maker’s guide Chapter 84 – Pension Credit: Deemed weekly income from capital
- DWP: Housing Benefit guidance Part B – Assessment of capital
- DWP: Advice for decision making Chapters H1 and H2 – Universal Credit: Capital
- DWP: UC guidance: Treatment of capital (PDF)
- DWP: UC guidance: Capital disregards (PDF)
- DWP: UC guidance: Deprivation of capital (PDF)
Also:
Work Capability Assessment (WCA) handbook
- This guidance is for healthcare professionals who undertake Work Capability Assessments on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
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Non UK nationals and NRPF & legal services
EU Settlement Scheme: EU, other EEA and Swiss citizens and their family members
- Version 19.0. Published for Home Office staff on 12 April 2023
- This guidance tells you how, from 12 April 2023, to consider applications made under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), contained in Appendix EU to the Immigration Rules.
- You must consider applications in line with the Immigration Rules and guidance in force at the date of decision on the application, subject to any transitional provisions made in respect of the rules and referred to in the guidance.
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EU Settlement Scheme: derivative right to reside (Chen and Ibrahim/Teixeira cases)
- This guidance tells you how, from 12 April 2023, to consider whether an applicant to the EU Settlement Scheme is a ‘person with a derivative right to reside’ as defined in the Immigration Rules for the scheme contained in Appendix EU to the Immigration
Rules
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EU Settlement Scheme: family member of a qualifying British citizen
- This guidance tells you how, from 12 April 2023, to consider an application under the EU Settlement Scheme, contained in Appendix EU to the Immigration Rules, from a ‘family member of a qualifying British citizen’.
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EU Settlement Scheme: person with a Zambrano right to reside
- This guidance tells you how, from 12 April 2023, to consider whether an applicant to the EU Settlement Scheme is a ‘person with a Zambrano right to reside’ as defined in the Immigration Rules for the scheme contained in Appendix EU to the
Immigration Rules.
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The3Million
Our work ranges from organising and mobilising EU citizens’ communities, informing people of their rights, holding the Government to account on the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement, promoting access to justice, advocating for an easier pathway to citizenship and residence-based voting rights at local elections, giving EU citizens in the UK to change the narrative on migration, and advocating for social justice.
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No Recourse North East Partnership
Welcome to our partnership website for the sharing of experience and knowledge of supporting people with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF)
Going in to Hospital
Going into hospital if you get benefits
You must tell the office that pays your benefit as soon as possible if you:
- go into hospital for one night or longer
- go into a rehabilitation centre for one night or longer
- will miss a Jobcentre Plus appointment because you’re in hospital or have a medical appointment
You must also tell them if you go into a care home and get benefits.
A friend or relative can call for you.
Your claim might be stopped or reduced if you do not report a hospital stay.
What you need to tell DWP
You need to give your:
- full name
- date of birth
- National Insurance number
- partner’s details (if they’re on your claim)
If you’re calling about a friend or relative, you need to give your name and contact details too.
You need to give details about your stay in hospital, including:
- the exact date you went into hospital
- the exact date you left hospital (if you’ve left hospital)
- the name of the hospital you were in
- the name of the ward you were on (if you know it)
- if you moved between hospitals
- any other hospital stays in the last 28 days
- where you were discharged to, for example your home or a care home
How to report
Who you tell depends on which benefits you get. You might need to report your change to more than one organisation if you get more than one benefit.
Universal Credit
Report a hospital stay of 24 hours or longer using your Universal Credit online account.
Pension-age benefits
Call the Pension Service helpline if you get one or more of:
- State Pension
- Pension Credit
- Attendance Allowance
Call the Attendance Allowance helpline if you only get Attendance Allowance.
Disability benefits
Call the Disability Service Centre if you get:
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Low or no income benefits
Call Jobcentre Plus if you get:
- Income Support
- Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Housing Benefit
Tell your local council about a hospital stay if you get Housing Benefit.
Child Benefit
Tell the Child Benefit Office if your child goes into hospital or ‘residential care’ for more than 12 weeks.
Other benefits
Call the helpline for each benefit to report a hospital stay if you get:
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Social Security Scotland benefits
What you’ll need
When telling Social Security Scotland about a change, it will be quicker if you have the following information to hand:
- your National Insurance number (if you do not have this, it could take longer to process your changes)
- the bank account details where your benefits are paid into
- details of the change you are telling Social Security Scotland about
- the date the change happened, or will happen
You can find your National Insurance number on your:
- National Insurance card
- benefit letter
- payslip
- P60
Call Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222 if you cannot find your National Insurance number.
How to tell Social Security Scotland
Online
You can use the online form to report the changes. This currently includes changes to:
- your personal details, like your name or address
- your personal details
- your care needs, conditions or mobility needs
- how you’d like Social Security Scotland to contact you
Call
Call Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222 to tell them about any change over the phone, if you have any questions or need help.
Complete a downloadable or paper form
You can download and complete a form to tell us about any changes to your:
- health
- care needs
- disability
- conditions
- mobility needs
Call Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222 if:
- you’d like a paper version of the form to be sent by post
- you have any questions
- you need help to complete the form
- you need help to get information about your health change or send this to them
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Guides
If you are on a low income and have children at school, you may be entitled to financial support.
Support for Families 2023
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Mind and CPAG Mental Health and Benefits Handbook
- This new handbook includes an overview of various mental health symptoms, gives guidance about when and how to ask about them and provides the tools you need to give accurate advice in a supportive manner. It focuses on advice and guidance for different stages of benefit claims and problems you might encounter during the process. It also addresses key topics including assessments, safeguarding, complex needs, supporting evidence and challenging decisions.
The book is available to read for free online
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Independent Age
- Call our free Helpline on 0800 319 6789. By calling our free and impartial Helpline, you can get information and advice from one of our friendly advisers, or order our free guides.
- About 2.5 million older people are entitled to Pension Credit to top up their retirement income. Yet around two in five of those who qualify aren’t claiming it.
- If you think you might be missing out, this
factsheet explains how Pension Credit is worked
out and how to make a claim.
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HB & CTR DWP Guidance
This manual is for the administration of the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit schemes by local authorities and housing authorities in Great Britain.
The Housing Benefit guidance manual is updated frequently through Housing Benefit ‘A circulars’. Please read any relevant circulars in conjunction with the guidance manual.
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A1: Overview
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A2: Claims
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A3: Liability to make payments and occupying the home
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A4: Eligible rent
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A5: Calculating benefit
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A6: Deciding and paying benefit
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A7: Single homeless people and hostel dwellers
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A8: Saving provisions
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BW1: Assessment of capital
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BW1: Assessment of capital
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BP1: Assessment of capital
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BW2: Assessment of income
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BP2: Assessment of income
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BW3: Assessment of needs
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C3: Appointees
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C4: People from abroad
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C4: Annexes: People from abroad
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C5: Extended payments
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C6: Reconsidering, revising and superseding decisions
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C7: Appeals
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C8: Suspension and termination
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D1: Liaison with local DWP offices
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D2: Publicity
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D3: Protection of personal information
Sample letters
- DWP overpayment waiver request (sole name)
- DWP overpayment waiver request (joint names)
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Setting up a basic Bank Account
You need a bank account to receive benefits. If you don’t already have a bank account, or you don’t qualify for a standard current account, you can set up a fee-free basic bank account with a bank.
This could be because you haven’t been able to build up a credit history. Or maybe you have a poor credit history because of money problems and want to use a fee-free basic bank account until you qualify for a standard current account again.
Visit Money Helper for information about how to choose and apply for a basic bank account.
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Stats
DWP Policy papers and consultations
www.gov.uk/welfare/entitlement#policy_and_engagement
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Move to Universal Credit statistics
www.gov.uk/government/collections/move-to-universal-credit-statistics
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Social Security Scotland
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Latest Social Security Scotland statistics publications
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This is the collection for statistics relating to Social Security Scotland, including publications about specific benefits, feedback, workforce and equalities analysis – Social Security Scotland statistics: publications
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A twelve-month calendar of Scottish Government statistical releases in spreadsheet format. The calendar includes Official and National Statistics publications, as well as Management Information publications – Official statistics: forthcoming publications
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Stat-Xplore
The number of Universal Credit claimants includes those who have started Universal Credit (completed the Universal Credit claim process and accepted their Claimant Commitment) and have not had a closure of their claim recorded for this spell, up to the ‘count date’ (second Thursday in each month). A closure of their claim would be recorded either at the request of the individual or if their entitlement to Universal Credit ends, for example, if they no longer satisfy the financial conditions to receive Universal Credit as they have capital over £16,000.
People on Universal Credit
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Universal Credit Research and statistics
www.gov.uk/welfare/universal-credit#research_and_statistics
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Universal Credit Policy papers and consultations
www.gov.uk/welfare/universal-credit#policy_and_engagement
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Students
Budget and funding calculator
Budget and funding calculator – Student Information Scotland
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Disability Rights UK – Student FAQs
These are some of the common queries we receive concerning disabled students. If you cannot find the answer to your question among these FAQs then why not call our Disabled Students Helpline.
Student FAQs | Disability Rights UK
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Financial support for students
Find out about financial help available for learning and training, organisations that give information and advice, and guidance about loans and grants for students in higher education.
Financial support for students – Citizens Advice Scotland
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Student Finance in Scotland 2023
Trying to wrap your head around Scottish Student Finance? We’ve done the hard work for you and put together everything you need to know – minus the jargon.
Student Finance in Scotland 2023 – Save the Student
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Universal Credit and students
Guidance on claiming Universal Credit if you’re a student.
Universal Credit and students – GOV.UK
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CPAG Factsheets Students and benefits
- Benefits for young people in further education or training
- Benefits for disabled students
- Benefits and tax credits for students
- Parents claiming for young people in further education or training
- Universal credit for lone parent students
- Universal credit and students
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Boost for Scottish students as they’re to get extra living costs support
Support for Scottish students towards living costs for the 2024/25 academic year
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