DRO via StepChange

Incywincy21 · 15 May 2017 at 8:00PM

Hi,

I am just wondering if Step Change 'disregard' P.I.P (as an income& then expenditure) or if you have to justify each thing you spend it on in your budget?

I heard Citizens Advice and National Debt Line put it down as Adult Care Costs/Disibility Costs... but what about Step Change?

Many Thanks

wba31 · 16 May 2017 at 8:50AM

No-one can dictate to you what it is spent on. If you receive £100 of PIP for example and you spend £100 on care costs but don't care to divulge what that may cover it will simply go into adult care costs.

In my understanding the big charities ask if you want to deal with it as above or include it across household budget as some people don't have specific costs for it.

only potential issue is if it is budgeted aside, but goes into savings for when something comes up. I once had a case declined due to the client having £1500 saved from PIP. Argued that it was from PIP so surely disregarded, but the response I got back was that it was an asset due to being a lump sum of cash...

Incywincy21 · 16 May 2017 at 6:59PM

Hi,

Many thanks for your reply!

Sadly no savings - things are pretty tight right now... it was just because some of step change's budget sheet didn't alocate categories if I was to have to specify what my PIP goes on (whereas NDL's had a category for Adult Care Costs- Stepchange doesn't seem to have this option either) and they ask you to complete the budiet sheet before ringing!

Again, many thanks.

fatbelly · 17 May 2017 at 12:04AM

All competent authorities have the same guidance to follow:

All benefits should be scheduled, including benefits paid to disabled people for their care, supervision and / or their mobility needs. These benefits include Attendance Allowance, Constant Attendance Allowance under the Industrial Injuries or War Pensions Schemes, Disability Living Allowance, War Pensioners Mobility Supplement or grants for the use of a vehicle, Personal Independence Payments and Armed Forces Independence Payments. In the case of these benefits payable to disabled people for their care, supervision or mobility needs, it is acceptable to record the same amount as expenditure.

wba31 · 17 May 2017 at 8:53AM

Incywincy21 wrote: »

Hi,

Many thanks for your reply!

Sadly no savings - things are pretty tight right now... it was just because some of step change's budget sheet didn't alocate categories if I was to have to specify what my PIP goes on (whereas NDL's had a category for Adult Care Costs- Stepchange doesn't seem to have this option either) and they ask you to complete the budiet sheet before ringing!

Again, many thanks.

If using their online tool then ring them and they can sort it over the phone for you. As much as I can see what they're trying with it, my personal opinion is that this job needs a human touch for common sense decisions...

Incywincy21 · 17 May 2017 at 10:42AM

Many thanks... It seems ringing them will be the best option.
It seems a minefield right now. I understand getting myself in such a mess in the first place doesn't help...I'm sure I'll feel better when it starts to get sorted.

Incywincy21 · 18 May 2017 at 12:43AM

Just an update for anyone in a similar position...
They did want everything I spent care costs on. They didn't differenciate PIP from any other income (in the sense that they didn't allow the same expenditure as one category)... I had to specify what I spend it on for care (she said "for example do you spend more than average on Heating? Haircuts? Fuel? Clothes? because of your disability and therefore they will go down as 'care related costs') Which made it very difficult as for me it varies from month to month with what I need and what and how much!

fatbelly · 18 May 2017 at 6:45AM

When you say 'they' you mean stepchange?

The intermediary Guidance that I quoted above is from v14 of the notes (going to get technical here). Now I've checked and this paragraph does not make it into v16, which is a slimmed-down document released because of the new DRO2 application process. However v16 does say to refer back to v14 for the finer detail, and everything will be sorted in v17, which is not yet published.

So as far as I can see it is still legitimate to:

In the case of these benefits payable to disabled people for their care, supervision or mobility needs, it is acceptable to record the same amount as expenditure

.

wba31 · 18 May 2017 at 9:06AM

fatbelly wrote: »

When you say 'they' you mean stepchange?

The intermediary Guidance that I quoted above is from v14 of the notes (going to get technical here). Now I've checked and this paragraph does not make it into v16, which is a slimmed-down document released because of the new DRO2 application process. However v16 does say to refer back to v14 for the finer detail, and everything will be sorted in v17, which is not yet published.

So as far as I can see it is still legitimate to:

.

StepChange have their own DRO team who only deal with clients once a DRO has been recommend.
This advisor probably wasn't on that team due to OP only just starting process so would not have been working by the guidance notes.

Incywincy21 · 18 May 2017 at 4:10PM

fatbelly wrote: »

When you say 'they' you mean stepchange?

The intermediary Guidance that I quoted above is from v14 of the notes (going to get technical here). Now I've checked and this paragraph does not make it into v16, which is a slimmed-down document released because of the new DRO2 application process. However v16 does say to refer back to v14 for the finer detail, and everything will be sorted in v17, which is not yet published.

So as far as I can see it is still legitimate to:

.

Yes, sorry I meant Step Change. When I tried to question why I had to specify everything I spend it on (I am a bit pathetic) I just got told that if it's an income they have to put down what all your expenses are... and they're happy to put down what your care costs are but they have to be documented...
I wasn't too pleased with the way I was spoke to, but I guess I did get myself into this mess!

Incywincy21 · 18 May 2017 at 4:15PM

wba31 wrote: »

StepChange have their own DRO team who only deal with clients once a DRO has been recommend.
This advisor probably wasn't on that team due to OP only just starting process so would not have been working by the guidance notes.

Hi, thanks for your reply...
For me this wasn't helpful as I didn't feel they could understand that I couldn't fit their budget as my expenses vary month to month for my PIP and so they said to take it off this month's figures... I was then over the '£50 surplus income' and therefore have not been passed to a DRO adviser, just offered a DMP instead!
To me it makes no sense if the people taking the information don't use the guidance - as it means some of these clients aren't then referred for further advice.

DRO via StepChange

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