Welfare Rights

It is a well-known fact that individuals suffering from mental ill health often do not receive the necessary or correct benefits.

This is due in part to the complexity of the welfare benefits system and the reticence of those with mental health problems to visit open access welfare rights services or deal with perceived bureaucracy. There is also the added problem of benefit retention.

With this in mind, it is essential that there are appropriate welfare rights advice, support and representation services available.

Bexley Care Trust hence commissioned Mind in Bexley to provide welfare benefit advice, representation, assistance and support to residents of Bexley who have long term and enduring mental health difficulties.

The service is open from 9.30am to 4.30 pm Monday to Friday at the Mind offices in the Broadway, Bexleyheath. We also offer an outreach service to inpatients at the Woodlands Unit, Queen Marys Hospital.

We offer to check benefit entitlement and to discuss "better off" calculations.

We can assist clients to take an unfavourable decision to a tribunal appeal, or a commissioner’s appeal.

We can assist with form filling and benefit claims on the phone.

We offer advice on:

• Attendance allowance
• Carers allowance
• Child tax credit and working tax credit
• Complex benefit claims, reviews and appeals
• Council tax benefit
• Disability living allowance
• Housing benefit
• Incapacity benefit
• Income support
• Jobseekers allowance
• Maternity benefits
• Permitted work
• State pension and pension credit.
• Statutory sick pay

In the last financial year (April 2007 – March 2008) this service helped clients gain over one million pounds in benefits.

Mind in Bexley hold the Community Legal Services Quality Mark in General Help including Casework in Welfare Benefits.