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Did you know that New Progress has a Welfare Rights Manager dedicated to helping our tenants achieve benefits they may not realise they're entitled to?

Franco Barnowski has worked at New Progress for the last 10 years - as Area Housing Manager, Property Manager and now as the Welfare Rights Manager. It's his job to provide advice and help in claiming the range of welfare benefits - helping New Progress tenants really improve the quality of their lives.

This year, our target is to help our tenants achieve £100,000 in extra income and we are well on the way to making this happen.

Franco recently helped one retired gentleman who went on to receive full Attendance Allowance. His disabled son was awarded Disability Living Allowance. The son was also then entitled to Working Tax Credit, including the disability element. Between them, they achieved an extra £6000 income. This has really helped them have a better quality of life.

Franco arranges regular campaigns targeting certain groups of people or certain benefits. His main campaign this year is to help sheltered tenants who may be entitled to Attendance Allowance, and working age claimants who may be entitled to Disability Living Allowance. These two benefits in particular are not used as income in other means tested benefits and can therefore increase the value of other benefits.

One of Franco's favourite pieces of benefit advice is to let people know as soon as something changes, as changes can affect your entitlement to benefit. If you don't let people know as soon as possible, you lose out on benefit you're entitled to, or even be overpaid benefit that you'll have to pay back. Examples are keeping in touch with HM Revenues and Customs for tax credits, and your local council for Housing and Council Tax Benefit.

We have other members of staff who have been trained on the full range of benefits so there will always be someone available to give advice when needed.

For further information on welfare benefits, or if you think we might be able to help you, please contact us on 01772 450684 or email fbarnowski@progressgroup.org.uk

For free, confidential advice you can come along to one of our drop-in sessions at The Bridge, Clarence St, Chorley 2 - 4pm on the 1st Wednesday of every month.

South Ribble Borough Council offer a Web Benefits Calculator to give you an instant benefits estimate. This is not a benefit decision. Please click here for more information*.

THE WAY BENEFITS ARE PAID IS CHANGING - READ MORE

 

QUICK, TRUST WORTHY MONEY ADVICE ON THE WEB Turn2us - information on benefits, grants and money matters plus free intermediary service for accessing grants Money made clear - FSA website providingfacts about financial products and services to help with informed decisions Entitledto - Handy calculators to find out what benefits you may be entitled to Quids In! magazine - advice on good financial choices for people on low incomes. The publication is overseen by the Bristol Financial Inclusion Taskforce to maximise its usefulness and to help ensure the content is appropriate. We are currently reviewing whether to purchase this magazine for tenants. Please let Franco know if you would like to receive regular copies free of charge. You can view a sample of the magazine here.