Monthly Archives: May 2022

New Measures to help with cost of living

by

The government has announced further measures to help with the ongoing cost of living crisis, and in particular rising fuel bills

All households will get £400 cut from the fuel bill in October, this is replacing the £200 ‘loan payment’ proposed earlier and it will not have to be repaid.  It will be credited to your electricity bill (if you are on a prepayment meter this is likely to be paid in top-up vouchers).

In addition, people over State Pension age (on 26th September 2022)  will be paid an extra £300 on top of the existing Winter Fuel Allowance.  This should be paid directly into your bank account in November or December

Households in receipt of means tested benefits will receive £650, to be paid in two instalments, one in July and one in the autumn.  This will apply to you if you get: Pension Credit, Universal Credit, Income-based Jobseekers Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support,  Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit. 

A £150 disability cost of living payment will be made in September to those receiving non-means tested disability benefits—Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, Scottish Disability Benefits, Armed Forces Independence Payment, Constant Attendance Allowance, War Pension Mobility Supplement.

You do not need to claim any of these—they should be paid automatically to you.  You  will receive all of the payments you qualify for and they do not affect any other benefits and are not taxable.  They are all intended as one off measures for this year only.

This is in addition to the £150 paid via Council Tax that many people will have already received. All households in band A-D qualify for this even if you do not pay any council tax because you get full council tax support or are exempt for another reason.  If you pay your Council Tax by direct debit this should have already been paid into your bank account.  People who don’t pay by direct debit needed to claim this payment online at www.leeds.gov.uk/council-tax/£150-council-tax-rebate.  Caring Together have helped many  members to claim this but if you still haven’t claimed please get in touch with us if you need assistance to do so.

The household support fund has also been increased, and extended to March 2023.  This is money paid to local councils to help them support those most in need, with rising cost of food, energy, and water bills. You may be able to get help from this if you do not qualify for the other measures.  You can contact Leeds Welfare Support on 0113 376 0330.

If you are struggling, please ask for help. Caring Together can help our members to look at the options and to access the support that is available so please contact us.  Even if you are not a member, we can try and put you in touch with the organisations that can offer help.

Do you know the signs of dementia?

by

“It’s not called getting old, it’s called getting ill”

It’s Dementia Action Week and this year’s campaign will focus on the theme of diagnosis.

If you or a loved one is experiencing memory loss, it could be a sign of dementia.

Alzheimer’s Society research shows that the misconception around memory loss being a sign of normal ageing is the biggest barrier to people seeking a dementia diagnosis.

With diagnosis rates falling to a five-year low, we want to encourage those who might be living with undiagnosed dementia to come to us for guidance and support and feel empowered to take the next step.

Getting a diagnosis can be daunting, but we believe it’s better to know. And so do 91% of people affected by dementia.

Forgetting things from time to time is usually normal. But if memory loss is affecting your daily life, it’s a good idea to seek help. The Alzheimer’s Society can give you advice to help you understand if your symptoms are related to dementia. https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/symptoms-and-diagnosis/memory-loss-dementia-diagnosis

Corn Exchange Celebration Event

by

If you fancy going to see what the area around the Corn Exchange looks like now after all the regeneration work has been done tomorrow is a good time to go:

There’s an event celebrating the launch of the Corn Exchange’s new surroundings. It’s at the Corn Exchange from 11am – 4pm and there’s a variety of entertainment, including:

May be an image of one or more people and text that says "Come and enjoy our new space- activities, music and food for all the family! CORN EXCHANGE CELEBRATION EVENT Saturday 14 May 1lam-4pm, 1lam- Leeds Corn Exchange #CelebrateCornEx"

🎵 Live music

💃 Dance performances

🎭 Street entertainers

🎨 Children’s face painting

And much more

Nearly 1,750 square metres of public realm has been created outside the Corn Exchange by upgrading two existing pedestrian areas and removing the stretch of Call Lane that runs between New Market Street and Crown Street. New seating, trees and sandstone paving are among the design features contributing to the welcoming nature of an accessible space that can be enjoyed day-to-day by shoppers, workers, local residents and visitors alike.

Local Elections Today – make sure your vote counts

by

Today is the day for local elections in Leeds!

Image

If you opted for a postal vote, you will probably already have returned it by post, however, if not, you can hand it in at your polling station up to 10pm today (see link below to find your polling station)

If you are voting in person, polling stations are open from 7am until 10pm today so there’s plenty of time to get your vote in.

Your polling station will be on the voting card you received a while ago and you are advised to check it as the polling station might have changed.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO HAVE YOUR POLLING CARD IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO VOTE. So if you don’t have it you can still go along and cast your vote (it might make it quicker if you can take it though)

You can check where you need to go here: https://wheredoivote.co.uk/