| Birthday Allowance | | | | Birthday Allowance | | <div class="ExternalClass438A079CBFED42DC97EF1217024AA9FB">When you turn 19 and 20 - you'll get £50 for your birthday. When you turn 21 you'll get £100 for your birthday.
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<br>Complete your Pathway Plan together with your worker and they'll sort it out.</div> | | | |
| Passport and Birth Certificate (ID documents) | | | | Passport and Birth Certificate (ID documents) | | <div class="ExternalClass20C57630CD704F90922976E83E6D1512"><p>You will need an ID for different things like opening bank accounts, getting a library card, accessing utilities and services and going on holiday. </p>
<p>Social care may <span id="ms-rterangecursor-start" style="display:none;"></span><span id="ms-rterangecursor-end" style="display:none;"></span>pay for you to get a copy of your birth certificate and your first passport, including the check and send facility - keep it safe!</p></div> | | | |
| Learning to Drive and your Licence | | | | Learning to Drive and your Licence | | <div class="ExternalClassC5198A49927944BD9C27B007BCBA3D9C">Getting your driving licence can be expensive, but social care will help you pay for it, as it's good to get it done while you're young. It's useful for a lot of jobs and gives you more freedom once you're older.
<br> <br>Your PA will help you access:
<br>- one provisional driving licence,
<br>- one theory test and one practical driving test,
<br>- plus 10 1-hr driving lessons, when you buy 10 yourself (up to £250) or maximum contribution of £250 towards intensive driving course<br> <br>Your PA will help you choose the right instructor for you and make sure you feel comfortable.
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<br>This offer is for young people who have been in education, training or employment for 3 months, with good attendance, and who do not have any driving convictions. You may also be able to access this if you are unable to work due to caring responsibilities or if you are disabled
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| In Emergencies | | | | In Emergencies | | <div class="ExternalClassA633B84A10794B4595591895D63D069D"><p>If you find yourself in an emergency where you have no food, gas/electric or money to travel, get in touch with your PA. </p>
<p>They will talk with you about what support you want, what's happened to date, and may speak with benefits with you to try and sort things out. After it's all sorted, we'll also work with you to make sure you've got the right information to support you in budgeting.</p>
<p>There are three different types of emergency payments you can get, if you're in need.</p>
<p><strong>Up to 3 food parcels in a 6 month period</strong><br><br>If we know there's only a short time till your benefits are sorted out, you can get up to 3 food parcels in a 6 month period (supplemented with £5 of fresh food) </p>
<p><strong>ASDA food delivery (for longer-term need)</strong></p>
<p>If we know it's going to take a little bit longer, we will get an ASDA delivery with 1-2 weeks' food in it sent to your house. You can only have this 2 times over 6 months.</p>
<p><strong>£20 top-up for gas/electric</strong></p>
<p>If you have no gas or electric, we can add £10 top-up to your card for each (or £20 total if you only have electric) to tide you over to your next weekly payment. You can only have this 3 times over 6 months.</p>
<p><strong>Travel Pass</strong></p>
<p>You may also be able to get a daily travel ticket for getting to appointments and for education or training. </p>
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| Festival Allowance | | | | Festival Allowance | | <div class="ExternalClass21FB616C1AEE4F2A9BD15B99C3CF2179">Age 18-21 and completed your Pathway Plan together with your PA? <br><br>You'll get £50 to buy gifts or towards a celebration, such as Christmas or Eid.</div> | | | |
| Vulnerable Young Person's Bursary (through college) | | | | Vulnerable Young Person's Bursary (through college) | | <div class="ExternalClass5689A864FA8E4ECFB2213DCDE2820A07"><strong>Vulnerable Young Person's Bursary</strong> <br>This is a government bursary which is available to most care leavers. It doesn't need to be paid back. The money comes through your college or sixth form so you will need to let them know that you're a care leaver.
You must have good attendance to continue receiving this bursary.
<br><br>You will get this if: <br> - you're aged 16-19<br> - you are in care, are a care leaver, or are claiming income support or getting both ESA and DLA/PIP <br><br><strong><span id="ms-rterangecursor-start" style="display:none;"></span>How much is it? <span id="ms-rterangecursor-end" style="display:none;"></span></strong><br>£1200 spread over the year
<br><br>(Every college pays this differently. You could get some money and a travel pass.)
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| Further Education (E to E Top Up Payment) | | | | Further Education (E to E Top Up Payment) | | <div class="ExternalClass26CF987CC0A9450E9AE62E590F4BF58B">This is for you if you are living independently and doing one of these: studying, training, or volunteering.
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<em>If you're doing an apprenticeship, go to the apprenticeships information + and also talk to your PA. </em><br><br><strong>E to E Top Up Payment (subject to attendance) </strong></div><div class="ExternalClass26CF987CC0A9450E9AE62E590F4BF58B"><strong></strong>
<b><br></b>- Participating 12 or more hours - £20/week if entitled to the bursary £30/week if not entitled to the bursary</div><div class="ExternalClass26CF987CC0A9450E9AE62E590F4BF58B"><br></div><div class="ExternalClass26CF987CC0A9450E9AE62E590F4BF58B">
- Participating 12 or less hours - £10/week if entitled to the bursary £30 £15/week if not entitled to the bursary
<br><br>In order to get it: </div><div class="ExternalClass26CF987CC0A9450E9AE62E590F4BF58B">
<br>- You will need to have good attendance. Try to go in every day that you're scheduled to as this will help you get the most out of your experience. Even if you have an appointment during part of the day, you can always let your tutor/employer know and come in later than planned. </div><div class="ExternalClass26CF987CC0A9450E9AE62E590F4BF58B">
<br>- Attitude counts...satisfactory reports from college about your attitude and participation will be taken into account when giving the payment.
<br> <br><strong>Your college will also have a designated lead for care leavers</strong> who will be able to provide you with additional support. This may be in the form of travel passes or additional funding.
<br> <br>If you’re not in education, training or work and would like to be, talk with your PA about your options and for help getting on the right track.
<br> <br><strong>Travel</strong>
<br>Usually travel passes are available from your further education or training provider. If not or if you are having difficulty getting to your training, talk to your PA to see what they can do to help.
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<strong>Additional Support with Equipment or Computers </strong>
<br>In addition to your weekly money, you can access an Equipment and/or Computer Grant if needed for your coursework. For this, you must be in education or training for more than 12 hours a week. Talk to your PA about this. </div> | | | |
| Apprenticeships (E to E Top Up Payment) | | | | Apprenticeships (E to E Top Up Payment) | | <div class="ExternalClass9604A56AADE54ACDA9766E68D87AF428">If you're doing an apprenticeship, you may be able to get an E to E incentive as well. This will be based on the wage you receive in your apprenticeship. <br><br>You may also be able to get support with your rent and council tax.
<br><br>Talk with your PA to find out.</div> | | | |
| Housing | https://www.leeds.gov.uk/youthinformationHub/Pages/Passport.aspx, Passport to Independent Living | | | Housing | | <div class="ExternalClassC7BCAF90770A48D3B7FAC5B1FBAC0B41"><p>As you develop into adulthood, one of the biggest challenges can be independent living. </p>
<p><strong>This is an area where your PA can give significant support</strong>. </p>
<p>Before you make the informed decision to live independently, your worker can go through the Passport to Independent Living with you to make sure you have considered all areas of living by yourself. </p>
<p>Your PA will discuss, advise and support on topics from budgeting (making your money last the week) to accessing services like GP, housing, etc. You can also look at getting a provisional driving license and more. </p>
<p>Click the link below for the passport to find out more...</p></div> | | | |
| Winter Fuel Allowance | | | | Winter Fuel Allowance | | <div class="ExternalClass96B7BAE4D2684965BDE218B3663ADD4E"><span class="ms-rteThemeFontFace-1 ms-rteFontSize-1"></span><span class="ms-rteThemeFontFace-1 ms-rteFontSize-1" style="border:1pt windowtext;color:rgb(68, 68, 68);padding:0cm;line-height:107%;">You can access this for your first two years living independently, where you are responsible for your utilities. You can get £20/month during December, January and February to make sure you can stay warm. (Your PA can give you support with setting your heating.)</span></div> | | | |
| Income Support and Housing Benefit | | | | Income Support and Housing Benefit | | <div class="ExternalClassE708FBAAF5D047E6ACF8A9BED613BEC1">
<strong>Don't forget to tell Job Centre Plus that you're a care leaver...<br></strong>I know we don't like to talk about it, but this will help them support you much better...and they'll give you a faster service! <br><strong><br>Being sanctioned?</strong> If anything is going wrong, as long as Job Centre Plus know you're a care leaver, they can get in touch directly with your PA to try and sort things out.
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<strong>You will likely be able to claim income support and housing benefit (Universal Credit U.C will come on line in October 2018)</strong> if you are:
<br>- aged 18 - 21
<br>- living independently
<br>- studying full-time (12 or more hours a week)
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<strong>If you're 21-25 and entering or resuming education,</strong> talk to your PA about financial support they may be able to provide. Your PA can also help you apply for reduced rate tuition fees. You may be able to get:
<br>- Maintenance allowance
<br>- Registration and Fees of up to £200 <br>- You may get the E to E Top Up (same as the Further Education E to E, with the same eligibility)</div> | | | |
| Setting up Home Allowance | | | | Setting up Home Allowance | | <div class="ExternalClass32E67BBBC4CC47C59A8B8A57ED72954B">As part of the support your PA will give you when you're setting up home, you can get a setting up home allowance. <br><br>Your PA will help you make sure you get good value for the money you're spending (guided spending), so that furniture lasts. <br><br>You will most likely want to access this funding when you are ready to start your own tenancy. <br><br><strong>The Setting Up Home Allowance includes: </strong><br>- Up to £1,800 towards furniture and white goods for your tenancy, dependent upon your circumstances at the time. <br>- Cooker and washing machine connection costs <br>- Up to £100 towards decorating your tenancy (if allowed by the landlord) <br>- Removal and transport costs for moving in <br>- The first year of your TV license (£150.50) - Contents Insurance (one year) <br>- Health and Safety Pack </div> | | | |
| Support with your Council Tax | | | | Support with your Council Tax | | <div class="ExternalClassF21E63DA0A90477DB89D31B91A9AB87E"><p>When you move to live independently in your own tenancy, one of the costs you will need to cover is paying your Council Tax. However don’t worry as you might be able to get help with this dependent on your circumstances; whether you are in employment and earning a wage or in receipt of benefits.</p>
<p><strong>Exemptions:</strong> If you are living on your own we will make sure you have a single person discount of 25%. If you are a full time student, it is likely you will have no council tax to pay, because we can support you to get a full exemption of 100% for this.</p><p><strong>Benefits:</strong> If you are on a low income or low wage (zero hours contract) we can help you to apply for Council Tax support, which may reduce your bill.</p><p>If we have done all of the above and you still have difficulties paying your Council Tax bill, speak to your PA, who may be able to apply for further financial support for you from the Council Tax department, based on the money you have coming in and going out.</p></div> | | | |
| Luggage - if you're moving... | | | | Luggage - if you're moving... | | <div class="ExternalClassAD3AECD49CFB4845AA184F0A2D93C133">We want you to be able to keep your stuff safe. <br><br>If you're moving between placements or moving out to live independently, some luggage items will be purchased for you.
<br> <br>Please talk to your PA about this.</div> | | | |
