WELFARE/BENEFITS ADVICE

ACCESSING THE SERVICE 

If you wish to make an appointment with the Welfare/Benefits Adviser please contact the Gateway Reception on 0151-291-3813 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

You can make an appointment to visit the premises or make a telephone appointment where the adviser will phone you at a time convenient to yourself. Appointment times last for up to an hour and can be made between 10am and 3.30pm four days per week.

Please remember to bring all the documentation relating to your enquiry with you including customer reference numbers where appropriate so that the Welfare/Benefit Adviser can take up your case for you and has all the information relating to your case.

The Welfare/Benefit Adviser will keep you informed at relevant stages as to how your case is progressing .In return we ask that you do the same and keep to your appointment times and remain contactable, and always respond to requests from the Adviser.

The service is limited and is offered to benefit all of the students at Liverpool Hope University, however if you fail to:

•      Give accurate information

•    Treat the service and its staff with respect

•      Turn up for two appointments without notification Withhold information or

•  Become non-contactable.

The University may withdraw this service from you and ask you to seek advice elsewhere If you wish to contact the Welfare/Benefits Adviser direct you can telephone 0151-291-3458 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Specialist Advice Subjects

1. HOUSING  

One of the most important aspects of being a student is finding suitable, comfortable but affordable accommodation. Most first year students take up accommodation in one of Liverpool Hopes halls of residence and find what they want and can afford. Any problems or issues with this can be dealt with by the Accommodation office at Liverpool Hope. In the second year some students choose to live in private rented sector in shared accommodation with friends they have made in halls.

To look for private rented accommodation there are a number of letting offices in the popular  Smithdown Road and Allerton Road areas of the city and you can search for local rented housing on the internet.

Liverpool Student Homes on Mount Pleasant in Liverpool is a good place to visit as a starting point because they give advice on housing contracts and have a list of houses and landlords which are known to be good. They have a list of landlords who have signed their code of practice and have provided up to date certificates for gas and electricity. They can also assist if you have a dispute with the landlord later. They can be contacted on www.lsh.liv.ac.uk   

Around February/March a lot of pressure is put on students to find a house for the following year but REMEMBER you have to pass exams and coursework to progress to the second year of your course and you wont know the result of this until June so don't rush into signing housing contracts, there are plenty of houses and plenty of time -study now and sign later. If you are concerned about the contract before signing seek advice first.

THE TENANCY DEPOSIT SCHEME

Nearly all landlords ask for a deposit to be paid on taking up the tenancy agreement and they must by law hold that deposit in accordance with one of three tenancy deposit schemes. These schemes were designed in April 2007 to protect tenant's rights to ensure that deposits are not unfairly withheld.

Before agreeing to pay a deposit and take up a tenancy you should

·        Ask the landlord what the deposit money covers and when it will be returned

·        Ask for a receipt and which tenancy deposit scheme the landlord has paid into.

·        Ask for an inventory of the condition and the contents of the property

·        If you don't get an inventory write one yourselves and get an independent witness to sign and send a copy to the landlord-it may also be worthwhile taking photographs of the property.

·        REMEMBER a landlord cannot withhold or keep all or part of a deposit due to general wear and tear.

ASSURED SHORTHOLD TENANCIES 

Most contracts will be Assured Shorthold Tenancies-and you are liable for the rent from the date your tenancy starts until it ends. If you don't pay your landlord can take legal action to enforce the conditions of the tenancy agreement. Most tenancies allow a subsidised half rent period in the summer-you should check if this is the case and also if you can move in during this time, most agreements are down to negotiation with the landlord but make sure you get all clauses in writing in case there is any dispute later.

DISREPAIR

Disrepair is one of the most common housing problems dealt with by the advice service at Liverpool Hope. Where a student has a tenancy of any kind the law imposes basic repairing obligations on the landlord under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985.These apply irrespective of what the tenancy agreement says and even where there is no written agreement. The Landlord is also obliged to keep in repair and working order installations for the supply of :

• Water
• Gas
• Electricity
• Sanitation
• Space Heating and Heating Water

There is no reason why students should live in unsafe or unsanitary accommodation and you should seek advice if you are not happy with your living conditions. However if you have an item of disrepair or any other problem with your home it is always worth putting it in writing to the landlord to give them the opportunity to resolve it first and allow a reasonable time period to respond or to do the work. If you cannot resolve this you need to seek advice.

If you are still having problems getting the landlord to do the work, you could contact the Local Authority Environmental Health department and ask them to visit and inspect the premises. They can issue a legal notice to the landlord and enforce this notice in the courts to get the work done. You will also receive a copy of the report which could be useful if you want to take further action against the landlord at a later date.

SHARING ISSUES 

Most students cannot afford to rent on their own and share with other students and this has implications for all of the tenants from the way the tenancy agreement is worded to the responsibility for Utility Bills, Council Tax etc. A lot of stress, anxiety and heartache can be suffered by students if these issues are not decided at the outset and all the tenants keep to the tenancy agreement and to what has been decided between them with regard to bills.

It is always better to have separate tenancy agreements if you can persuade the landlord to do this-then you are only liable for your own rent.

It is usually better for all sharers to put all of their names as account holders for each supply or the sharers can sign up equally to different utility accounts-this way each sharer is liable for an equal share of the bills.

REMEMBER HOUSING LAW IS COMPLICATED AND ONLY SOME OF THE ISSUES ARE COVERED HERE.SEEK ADVICE IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION.

2.STUDENT FUNDING

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Most undergraduate students are eligible to claim Student Funds currently in the form of grants and repayable loans to finance their courses. These funds are limited and students are expected to find extra money whilst studying usually from part-time work. Student Finance is assessed on parental income unless you have a child, have supported yourself for three years or are irreconcilably estranged from your parents. If you have a partner their income will be taken into account instead but if they do not work you may be able to be able to claim Supplementary grants for them and any child dependants. Funding is affected and reduced by any previous study you have taken-you need to seek advice before coming on the course if this is the case.

You claim finance from Student Finance England -for further information contact www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS

Most Postgraduate courses are self-funded with the exception of the P.G.C.E. which attracts the same funding as undergraduate courses and is enhanced by a bursary. Masters courses generally do not attract funding but there is a Professional and Career development loan for 80% of course fees and living costs if the course is full-time. The scheme is operated by high street banks and whilst the interest on the loan during the period of study is paid by the government, interest becomes chargeable after one month of leaving the course (or up to 6 months in special circumstances).For more information on this go to the Student Finance England website.

3. BENEFITS   

Although most full-time students are not entitled to receive benefits whilst studying some groups such as lone-parents, student couples and disabled students retain entitlement to claim. Whilst means-tested benefits are still affected by any income you have coming into the household some student funding is disregarded as income and most is not counted during the summer period so if you can't find work for the summer you may be able to claim.

MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING BENEFITS CAN BE FOUND IN THE INFORMATION LEAFLETS AT THE END OF THIS WEBPAGE;-

·        Income Support for full-time students/Summer Benefits.

·        Health/Education Benefits and Free School Meals

·        Child and Working Tax Credits

·        Part-Time Students

·        Disabled Students/Disability Benefits

·        Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit and Council Tax

4. CONSUMER

We are all protected by law if we purchase goods brand new in this country. The Sale of Goods Act provides that new items should be fit for the purchase. You also have other rights of contract with the retailer and most shops allow a full refund within 28 days on goods returned in the original condition in which they were bought.

For goods which become faulty within 12 months of purchase you are entitled to a replacement or refund where this is not possible. Enforcing the law in consumer matters is not always easy and it depends on the shop. If you do experience problems you can contact the retailers head office or seek advice from the Trading Standards department of your local Authority. Trading Standards departments can advise you how to take up your complaint against the company, and take the matter up on your behalf if necessary.

Second Hand goods do not carry the same guarantees unless provided in a contract by the seller. Generally it is wise to use reputable companies for goods and services or on recommendation and buy new items if you can. 

5. COUNCIL TAX       

Students in halls of residence live in exempt dwellings and are not liable for council tax payments. Most other full-time students are exempt from Council Tax payments providing they obtain a council tax certificate from the student portaland submit this to the Local Authority area in which they live. The Local Authority Revenues department will then issue a new council tax bill showing the exemption and if the house is occupied by full-time students only then will the property be exempt from council tax payments. Where a student lives with one other adult a 25% discount will be added to the bill. Students with two or more non-student Adult households will receive a full bill for council tax unless you qualify for Second Adult Rebate. Second Adult Rebate is worked out by looking at the total gross income of all the other adults who live with you.

PART-TIME STUDENTS

Sometimes full-time students have problems when a part-time student comes into their household or a full-time student interrupts their studies and is no longer in attendance. This can attract a council tax bill to the household for 75% of the normal amount as the other occupants are full-time students. If this happens the "non-student" can take responsibility for the bill and claim Council Tax Benefit if they are unemployed or on a low income. 

6. LEGAL

The Welfare Benefits Adviser can assist with most legal civil matters including advice, negotiation, advocacy and representation where necessary on a wide range of problems and can refer or seek advice from local solicitors where necessary. Criminal matters almost always require a solicitor.

The most common legal matters we come across are rent arrears, family law, separation and maintenance, benefit overpayments, T.V. license non-payment, small claims etc 

7. BUDGETTING  

When you come to us as a new student at Liverpool Hope you may have never had any experience of money management-REMEMBER you have a limited income and may have to live on your student finance income for the full year if you cant find work or don't have savings or other money from benefits to rely on.

Single students who get the maximum amount of finance will qualify for £3,497 Maintenance Loan and £2906 Maintenance Grant and a £500 Hope Bursary-a total income of £6,903 which is £132.75 weekly.

During the summer you may go home to your parents and would not need as much to live on during this period -June-September and so as long as £800-£1000 is set aside for the summer this leaves £5903 for term-time living costs (36 weeks) which is £164 per week approx.

How much you need is a personal matter depending on your individual circumstances-if your parents live far away it will cost you more to travel home.

YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT BUDGETTING ON THE STUDENT FUNDS WEBSITE. www.studentfunds@hope.ac.uk or in Funding at Hope booklet -Liverpool Hopes funding guide for undergraduates.                   

8. ACADEMIC

There can be a number of reasons why you may need to withdraw from your course or take some time out of your studies which may involve repeating a year or part of a year. Both of these choices have financial and other implications which can affect you now and impact on further study.

WITHDRAWING FROM YOUR COURSE.

This option has financial implications as you may be overpaid student grant/loan/and or owe tuition fees. In addition you may have signed up for a Housing contract and will be liable for payments until the end of the contract and once you are no longer a full-time student you are liable for council tax. You may wish to consider this plus how it affects future courses you wish to go on and also how you can fund yourself now i.e. find work/claim benefits.

INTERRUPTING YOUR STUDIES

Sometimes it may be necessary to take time out of your studies due to illness, caring responsibilities, personal problems etc or just because you have failed a module and have to spend time out before you can rejoin the course. Sometimes it may be necessary to repeat a year-in all of these circumstances there are financial and other implications. Firstly as above it is worth seeking advice before interrupting because it may result in overpayments of funding which can be avoided; also you need to see one of the Senior Academic Advisers for permission to join the course/repeat modules at a later date. Also you need to consider whether you can afford to finance yourself during the time out.

CHANGING FROM FULL-TIME TO PART-TIME OR PART-TIME ON A FULL-TIME COURSE.

Some students start as full-time and find it is too much for them academically or family or personal circumstances do not allow time for full-time course work. Others who need to re-sit part of the year or have to interrupt their studies do the parts they have missed on a part-time basis. For any of these options there are both academic and funding implications and you will need to see the Senior Academic Adviser and Student Funds for financial advice.

N.B. For all of the above there is more information contained in the attached booklet   A guide for undergraduate students withdrawing from their courses and interrupting their studies.     

8.ACADEMIC APPEALS.

You may have grounds for appeal if you have personal mitigating circumstances which affected your performance in your studies or you feel that there has been some material irregularity in the assessment of the module. For full details of circumstances in which you can appeal and procedures to follow see www.hope.ac.uk/studentinformation/complaintsappeals.html

The Welfare/Benefits Adviser can assist you with submitting your appeal and presenting your case at a hearing should you be required to attend and also with applying for extra funding should you need it.

9. COMPLAINTS/APPEALS.

The Welfare/Benefits Adviser can also provide advice and representation on any academic, social security benefit, tax credit appeal plus assist with complaints against government and other departments such as Student Finance England.