Law Centre NI

Discretionary waiver is a mechanism, whereby in exceptional circumstances, DfC can exercise its discretion to ‘waive’ recovery of all or part of an overpaid benefit. A claimant can request a waiver of an overpaid benefit or a benefit advance in certain circumstances. As a direct result of Law Centre policy advocacy, all overpayment notifications in NI advise recipients of the option to seek a waiver and DfC guidance was changed to explicitly outline that the reason for overpayment including official error is a relevant factor to consider of when to waive. Following the Law Centre’s success in Discretionary Waivers, it has put together this practitioner-led masterclass to help advisers better understand how to use the waiver to help their clients.

An overpayment can occur when a claimant receives more money in their benefit award than what they should have been paid. It is important to remember that for benefits like Carer’s Allowance, a claimant has a responsibility to notify the Disability and Carers Service of any relevant circumstances that could impact their award – this includes relevant changes in income. In this practitioner led Lunch and Learn, advisers can learn about the different causes of an overpayment of Carer’s Allowance and what can be done to help claimant’s who find themselves in this situation.

This course has been designed to develop the necessary skills to enable learners to effectively provide advice to the public.

This Lunch and Learn session will look at the key benefits, schemes and financial support available to older people in Northern Ireland. The session will look at how you can maximise an older persons support going forward into the future. The session is aimed at people who are currently providing care to an older person or family member, community organisations who deal with older people, people who are nearing pension age and are unsure of what support is available, and to advisers who would like to increase or refresh their knowledge in a very important topic.

Medical evidence is a key component for success in the majority of social security appeals. There are a number of risk factors and challenges relating to medical evidence that advisers should be aware of. This session will discuss methods of accessing this evidence from multiple sources and how this can be presented to increase the chances of success at appeal. This session is aimed at those working and volunteering in the advice sector.

This course is aimed at generalist welfare advisers as well as at staff and volunteers who work in the women’s sector or migrant and refugee support sector. It is a practical session and aims to equip you to identify migrants who may benefit from the new rules and to make prompt referrals for immigration advice. This course will be delivered by one of LCNI’s expert immigration advisers.

Universal Credit is the new single means tested benefit for people of working age. however, your Universal Credit award can be impacted by number of different things, such as any savings, investments or assets you might have; some other benefits could impact your award; or if you have any deductions – which includes sanctions. This Lunch and Learn has been designed to help advisers get to grips with the reasons for why sanctions occur, what can be done to prevent them, and the impact being sanctioned has on a person’s Universal Credit award.

A claim in the Employment Tribunal can be a daunting process. Many claimants are worried about the possibility of having to pay their opponent’s costs if they are unsuccessful in their claim. At the Law Centre, we receive many queries regarding costs and the risk involved should a claimant pursue their claim. This practitioner-led session will dispel some of the myths about an award of costs at the Employment Tribunal and provide an overview of circumstances where costs could be awarded. The session is aimed at advisers who are looking to increase their knowledge of the Tribunal, or Litigant in Person who are hoping to learn more about the risks involved in submitting their claim.