Their duties include:

Providing welfare rights advice on means-tested benefits including Income Support, Pension Credit, Social Fund, Housing & Council Tax Benefit, Job Seekers’ Allowance.

Providing advice on non means-tested benefits including, Disability Living Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Attendance Allowance, Child Benefit, Retirement Pensions, Maternity Benefit.

Providing advocacy for tenants in claiming welfare benefits. Visiting tenants in their own home and also holding interviews at IDS Offices.

Providing welfare training for Housing Management staff, liaising with the Department of Work and Pensions, relevant local authorities and other statutory and voluntary bodies including charities and making referrals where appropriate.

Assessing welfare decorating applications.

Recommending adaptations for disabled tenants

REDECORATING:

IDS runs a welfare decorating service for tenants who are unable to decorate for themselves for various reasons including age and disability. We employ a decorator who will decorate one room in each flat. We aim to carry out the work within 12 months of accepting applications.

To qualify, tenants have to be in receipt of benefit and have insufficient savings to have the work carried out for themselves. If tenants are able to carry out the work themselves but cannot afford to buy materials, we can provide a grant to cover these costs.

Tenants interested in this scheme should contact their Welfare Manager.

AIDS & ADAPTATIONS:
IDS applies for funding from the Housing Corporation each year to carry out adaptations to tenants’ homes to enable them to remain independent. Works can be as extensive as installing level access showers to providing grab rails. Referral for this work has to be through Social Services or GPs. The Welfare Managers can assist tenants in obtaining the required referral.

If you are an IDS tenant and require welfare advice,click here