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Egg-citing Easter Hamper Giveaway
C'mon and get crackin' with our Easter Hamper Giveaway. We're giving away an Easter Hamper packed with goodies for one lucky winner. Visit our social media channels - Facebook and/or Instagram and check out our Easter Giveaway post. If you're not in you can't win, you'll not want to egg-nore this one 
Click here for the giveaway Terms & Conditions
Loans Issued for the year ending 30/09/2022| Description | | Number of Loans Issued | | Granted Amount | | Business Expenses | | 41 | | 144,620.00 | | Car Purchase | | 535 | | 1,939,455.43 | | Car Repair/Tax/Insurance | | 774 | | 600,366.27 | | C.B.S | | 1634 | | 1,639,460.14 | | Christmas Expenses | | 1577 | | 1,583,198.45 | | Computer | | 10 | | 12,100.00 | | Debt | | 320 | | 793,435.96 | | Education | | 85 | | 95,704.65 | | Funeral Expenses | | 42 | | 51,144.50 | | Holidays | | 1273 | | 1,526,908.27 | | Deposit House | | 18 | | 116,631.71 | | Home Improvements/Repairs | | 1274 | | 2,343,599.54 | | HouseholdExpenses(Rent etc) | | 958 | | 590,039.55 | | Investments | | 2 | | 6000.00 | | Legal Expenses | | 12 | | 21000.00 | | Mobile Homes/Caravans | | 110 | | 419,655.00 | | Personal(Health Sports etc) | | 476 | | 552,526,00 | | Miscellaneous | | 168 | | 154,679,79 | | Tv & Video | | 21 | | 10,070.00 | | Transfers | | 1 | | 700.00 | | Weddings | | 338 | | 591,409.42 |
Total Amount Granted: £13,192,704.68
What you need to know
As you may be aware over the past few years a number of changes have been made to the welfare system in Great Britain and since May 2016, these changes have also started to be introduced into Northern Ireland.
These are the biggest changes to the benefit and tax credit system in over 70 years with many of the current benefits for people of working age ending and new benefits and payment systems are being introduced.
The introduction of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people of working age will help people with a disability or long-term health condition to live full, active and independent lives. PIP assesses how a person’s condition affects their daily life and not the condition that they have. DLA will remain for children up to the age of 16 years, for existing and for new claimants. In addition to children, existing claimants who were aged 65 who were aged 65 years or over on the 20 June 2016 will continue to receive DLA provided they continue to meet the eligibility criteria.
It is planned to introduce Universal Credit in 17 September 2017. Universal Credit is intended to make it easier for people to take up a job or to increase the hours they work before their benefit payments start to reduce. Universal Credit will provide specific support for people who are working but living on a low income, who are out of work and those who have a disability or are too ill to work. Universal Credit will replace six current benefits and credits and will be claimed online via www.nidirect.gov.uk.
The introduction of the Benefit Cap on 31 May 2016 limited the amount of benefits a household can receive to £26K per annum to make sure that no household in work who are getting an average wage or salary. A lower limit of £20K per year that a household was able to get on benefits was introduced in 2016 November 2016. The benefit cap will only apply if someone in the household is in receipt of Housing Benefit.
A 365 day limit has been introduced on the length of time that someone can receive contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). The special conditions which allowed some young people to get contribution based ESA have also been removed. New Criteria are also being introduced to calculate Housing Benefit payments; this is known as Social Sector Size Criteria. From early 2017 the amount of Housing Benefit paid for people living in social housing will be based on the size of the rental property and the number of people living there. The criteria for housing benefit will not be changed for people over State Pension age. Crisis Loans and Community Care Grants which were available under Social Fund ceased to exist from November 2016, and were replaced by the new Finance Support Service such as Discretionary Support and Short Term Benefits Advances are designed to provide a fast and responsive telephony based service as the means of receiving short term financial support when you need it. The Northern Ireland Executive has agreed to provide £501 million over the next four years to reduce the impact of these changes. The Executive have put in place support measures to protect and support people who are financially impacted in Northern Ireland over the next four years. People affected by the welfare changes may be entitled to Supplementary Payments to help with any shortfall of benefit payments up until March 2020. Payments are currently being paid for people impacted by the Benefit Cap, where they lose their DLA payments or receiving a lower payment when they have moved to Personal Independence Payments and the time limit on ESA Contributions. Future support will be available when other changes are introduced. Anyone who is eligible will be contacted by the Department of Communities.
Where can I find out more?
An independent Welfare Changes Helpline is available by calling 08088020020 and additional information is available at www.nidirct.gov.uk/welfarechanges
Online Loan Applications
You can now apply for a loan online. To apply for a loan, login to the members area and click the apply for loan button. Enter as many details as possible and once you submit the loan application you will be contacted by a member of staff regarding it. Decisions are usually available within 24 hours.
If you do not have access to the members area already, then register today!
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