If you receive income support, jobseekers allowance or employment and support allowance, you can receive help with your rent and council tax. You may also receive help if you are receiving other benefits or if you are working but living on a low income. An application form needs to be filled in with your local council If your claim is successful, you should get a letter from your local council telling you how much Housing Benefit you'll get. The letter should also explain how your Housing Benefit will be paid. For example, it will usually be paid directly to your bank account if you're a private tenant. If you pay rent to your local council, you'll only have to pay the rent that's not covered by your Housing Benefit. If Housing Benefit covers all your rent, this means you won't have to pay rent to the council. However, you'll still need to check your rent account regularly to make sure the rent's being paid.

Working & Child Tax Credits

If you work 16 hours a week or more, you can claim Working Tax Credit. The amount you get depends on your individual circumstances. For more information on how working tax credit is calculated, please contact our office, and our experienced lawyers, solicitors, and caseworkers will help.

Basic element

£1,960 per year

Lone parent

£2,010 per year

30-hour element

£810 per year

Disabled worker element

£3,090 per year

Severe disability element

£1,330 per year

Jobseekers Allowance

If your child is over five and you aren't working or are working fewer than 16 hours a week, you can claim Jobseekers Allowance.

Pension Credit

Pension Credit gives you extra money to help with your living costs if you're over State Pension age and on a low income. Pension Credit can also help with housing costs such as ground rent or service charges.

Income Support

You can claim income support if your youngest child is under the age of five. If you receive income support, you aren't expected to look for work. However, you can claim income support regardless of the age of your children if you claim it for a reason other than being a single parent, for example, because you are a full-time carer or a foster parent.

Discretionary Housing Payment

You can apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) - this is an extra payment to help you pay your rent for a short time. You won't have to pay the money back. You can ask for a DHP: as soon as you've applied for Housing Benefit when the council tell you how much Housing Benefit you'll get

Child Benefit

You get Child Benefit if you're responsible for a child under 16 (or under 20 if they stay in approved education or training).

Bereavement Support Payment

This is a new payment that applies if your husband, wife or civil partner died on or after 6th April 2018. It is made up of a lump sum and then a monthly payment for up to 18 months.

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

Employment and Support Allowance is money for people who have limited capability for work because of their sickness or disability but do not get Statutory Sick Pay.

Personal Independence Payments (PIP)

Personal Independence Payment can help you with some extra costs if you have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability. The amount you get depends on how your condition affects you, not the condition itself. A health professional will assess you to work out the level of help you can get. PIP is not based on the condition you have or the medication you take. It is based on the level of help you need because of how your condition affects you. You will be assessed on the level of help you need with specific activities. It's hard to say if the level of help you need will qualify you for PIP. But, if you get or need help with any of the following because of your condition, you should consider applying:

Preparing and cooking food

Eating and drinking

Managing your treatments

Washing and bathing

Managing toilet needs or incontinence

Dressing and undressing

Communicating with other people

Reading and understanding written information

Mixing with others

Making decisions about money

Planning a journey or following a route

Moving around

Disability Living Allowance for Children

Disability Living Allowance is the main benefit for disabled children under 16. DLA is designed to help you cover the extra costs you might face because of your child's disability. The range of levels is wide, from a little extra help for children with learning disabilities to severe disability both mentally and physically. What's important to remember about DLA is that it is about how much extra care and support your child needs, not what their diagnosis is. In fact, even if your child doesn't have a diagnosis yet, you can still claim DLA. You will, of course, need good evidence of how their needs impact their day-to-day life. The critical issue is that they have extra needs that other children their age doesn’t have.

Attendance Allowance Attendance Allowance

Is a welfare benefit for people who have reached State Pension age and need help with personal care or supervision because of a physical or mental disability. If you are deaf or have hearing loss, you may be able to claim Attendance Allowance if you need help to communicate with other people. This counts as personal care. It doesn't matter if you don't currently get this help, as long as you can show you need it. Attendance Allowance is paid weekly at one of two rates – lower or higher – depending on how much help you need. The weekly rates from April 2020:

Lower rate: £59.70.

Higher rate: £89.15.

You may qualify for the lower rate if you need frequent help or constant supervision during the day, or supervision at night.

You may qualify for the higher rate if you need help or supervision throughout both day and night, or if you are terminally ill.

Carers Allowance

You could get Carer's Allowance if you care for someone at least 35 hours a week, and they get DLA or PIP. You do not have to be related to, or live with, the person you care for. You do not get paid extra if you care for more than one person. If someone else also cares for the same person as you, only one of you can claim Carer's Allowance. Carer's Allowance can affect the other benefits that you and the person you care for get. You have to pay tax on it if your income is over the Personal Allowance. 15 Debt & Money Borrowing Money Apply for a government-backed Start Up Loan of £500 to £25,000 to start or grow your business. Unlike a business loan, this is an unsecured personal loan.

Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS)

The Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS) provides financial support to businesses across the UK as they recover and grow following the coronavirus pandemic.

Dealing with Bailiffs

Bailiffs can be intimidating, and having them appear on your doorstep to seize your assets

can be a stressful time – but don't be afraid.

We Can Stop Bailiff Visits

We Can Stop Bailiff Action

We Can Help With Council Tax Bailiffs

We Can Speak To Your Creditors And Bailiffs For You

We can help You With Your Debt And Arrange A Manageable Solution

Are you struggling financially with your debts and managing your finances?

Are you worried about possible bailiff action and further costs?

Have you been contacted by a bailiff company and need some advice?

Contact our qualified advisers for free bailiff help and guidance today.

Family & Community Care Divorce

We offer a range of fixed-fee divorce services that are fast, affordable, and high quality. You can get divorced in England or Wales if all of the following are true: you've been married for over a year your relationship has permanently broken down your marriage is legally recognised in the UK (including same-sex marriage) the UK is your permanent home or the permanent home of your husband or wife The Grounds for Divorce are: Unreasonable behaviour from your partner Adultery. You have been separated for at least two years.

Separation

A legal separation is a court-ordered arrangement whereby a married couple lives apart, leading separate lives. A legal separation is a popular alternative to a divorce when the parties are unsure of the state of their marriage but want to establish financial boundaries and responsibilities, such as separation of assets, custody of dependents, and child support.

Social Services Assessments

To understand whether you need additional support at home or other alternatives to consider, an assessment is usually necessary. A care needs assessment is a way of getting to know you on an individual level. It covers things like your social and medical history and how you cope with your everyday activities during your daily life. We will ask you about your preferences and goals for your future care and support and then consider the kind of care you, as an individual, would benefit from to maintain your quality of life. Usually, it is also beneficial to ask your family members, or those close to you, their thoughts and feelings about your current situation. Sometimes you, a family member, or someone close to you might be worried about your ability to make decisions for yourself. For example, perhaps you have recently been diagnosed with a cognitive illness, such as Dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Capacity assessments determine whether you can make informed decisions that are in your best interests. Everyone is entitled to a care needs assessment from their local authority,

Housing

Renting from Councils and Housing Associations

Homelessness Assistance

Our housing advice service guides people in a housing crisis. We provide appointments with advisors who offer support to find stable accommodation.

You don't have to be living on the street to be homeless - even if you have a roof over your head, you can still be without a home. This may be because you don't have any rights to stay where you live, or your home is unsuitable for you.

The top four causes of homelessness are:

Lack of affordable housing,

Unemployment,

Poverty,

Mental illness and the lack of needed services,

Many people become homeless because they can no longer afford the rent. And for many, life events like a relationship breaking down, losing a job, mental or physical health problems, or substance misuse put people under considerable strain.

Renting Privately

Here at Saber Solutions, we provide guidance and advice for people who live in private accommodation.

You might be able to get benefits or grants to help you with the cost of renting from a private landlord or through a letting agent. However, it's essential to work out what you'll need to pay before moving in, so you'll know if you can afford to rent the property.

As a tenant, you have the right to live in a property that's safe and in a good state of repair, have your deposit returned when the tenancy ends - and in some circumstances, have it protected.

Even though most landlords treat their tenants fairly and abide by the law, some are unscrupulous and mistreat their tenants. If you are unlucky enough to have one of these as your landlord, it's vital to know your rights. Unfortunately, many tenants don't realise that landlords have responsibilities towards them, and even when they do, sometimes they are too scared to question them or complain for fear of eviction. If you're one of these tenants and have a problem you need to discuss, we're here to help.

Medical Priority Applications to Councils

You may be awarded increased priority if you or a member of your household has an illness, medical condition or disability, making your home unsuitable. Medical priority will only be awarded if your condition is long term or permanent. In addition, your housing situation must also aggravate the medical condition or prevent improvement.

A clear example of a medical priority would be if you or a member of your household have a permanent mobility issue and need a wheelchair, but your current property had stairs and no lift access.

Mutual Exchange

A mutual exchange is a way for social housing residents to find a move by swapping homes with another social housing resident. You can swap homes with any council tenant or Housing Association tenant in the UK providing you, and they have the right to mutual exchange and both parties wish to swap.

If you are a tenant in a council house or housing association property and you want to move, you might be allowed to arrange a mutual exchange with another tenant who would prefer your current home to their own. The swap would mean that you would exchange your existing property with another tenant who also lives in a council or housing association house.

There are several reasons why you might want to swap your council house, including:

Your location of work has changed.

You want to live in the catchment area for the preferred school for your children.

You want to move closer to family and friends.

You might decide to swap your council house because the size of your family changes or because you would prefer to live in a different area. If you can find a tenant in your desired home and location that would prefer your current property, we can help process the mutual exchange application for you.

Rent Arrears & Evictions

Saber Solutions housing advisors advise both private sector tenants and social housing tenants on rent arrears, including advising on how to respond to formal notification of legal action under a Section 8 Notice from a landlord (breach of the tenancy agreement) – and what to do if the court has granted a possession order.

This may involve dispute resolution or mediation to enable you to remain in the property if you can repay the arrears and continue to make rent payments.

In cases where a tenant is facing eviction or a warrant for possession for rent arrears has been granted, and the tenant can't pay the rent arrears and continue the tenancy. Saber Solutions housing advisors can advise tenants who have been made homeless on applying to the local council to be re-housed under Section 193 of the Housing Act 1996.

Employment

Dealing with a Problem at Work

Having a job is an essential part of most people's lives. When you are at work, you can be confronted with many complex issues, so it is crucial to know your rights.

Staff members respond to triggers and challenging situations differently. While some employees may handle them well, others may react in an unproductive or unhelpful manner. Disputes at work could arise from any of the following instances:

Bullying and harassment.

Different personalities

Discrimination/unfair treatment.

Poor working conditions/environment.

Poor management styles.

Changes to the work environment, pay, opportunities.

Are you being bullied or harassed in the workplace? Whether subtly or openly, the law is on your side when you decide to take a stand. If your employer has failed to take action to prevent you from being bullied or harassed, speak to us. Our expert lawyers are here to help and specialise in the complex area of employment law. We'll help you understand your legal position and what action you can take.

Dealing with Grievances at Work

Raising a grievance' is the term generally used when you want to complain formally about something serious that has happened to you at work. Your complaint (or grievance) could be about almost anything, from the behaviour of your manager or colleagues, through to health and safety issues. When you raise a grievance at work, that means you will be making a complaint to your employer by way of a formal letter or email detailing what your complaint is about. Here at Saber Solutions, we will guide and draft your formal Grievance against your employer.

Are you struggling with business loan repayments or with HM revenue and customs/creditors.

If so, your business may have to endure consequences which can not only damage the reputation of the company from the point of view of creditors but may also have personal effect upon you. We can help in a number of ways

1: Negotiating a suitable repayment plan/arrangement with your lenders/creditors.

2: Insolvency advice

Following documents will be required to assess a suitable plan for your business.

1: Company financial statement

2: Company accounts

3: income and expenditure/cash flow projection

4: Your personal ID and proof of address. Contact us today if you need help or assistance with the above.

Free initial consultation