Welfare Benefit Training
Currently, it’s estimated that the total amount of unclaimed income-related benefits and social tariffs across Great Britain has now reached a staggering level of £24 billion a year.
The main unclaimed benefits consist of Universal Credit, Council Tax Support & Carer's Allowance.
Torbay Advice Network can help your clients to access these much-needed financial resources through specialist advisor training in a variety of welfare benefit topics.
Opposite is a sample of our Training workshops, which can be adapted to your exact requirements and can be facilitated in person throughout Devon.
The majority of our training workshops are approximately 4-6 hours long but there are some workshops we recommend facilitating over 2 separate days.
Workshop rates, accommodating up to 20 people starts at £400, depending on location.
If you would like any more information, or a fixed quote for any of our workshops, please get in touch and we will do our best to facilitate your training requirements.
Introductory Level
Aimed at frontline workers who either do not work specifically in welfare rights or who are new to benefits advice work.
- Confidentiality & Data Protection
- Information Gathering, Effective Form Filling
- Local Service Provision and Effective Signposting
- Introduction to Benefits 1
Intermediate Levels
Aimed at people with some working knowledge of the benefits system, or the subject covered by the course. These courses are suitable for people who want to update skills in a specific area or wanting a refresher.
- Identifying entitlement
- Introduction to Benefits 2
- Universal Credit 1
- Making a claim
- Housing Related Benefits
- Benefits for Carers
Experienced Level
Aimed at more experienced workers who are confident about covering issues in more, and sometimes complex, detail.
- Universal Credit 2
- Attendance Allowance (AA)
- Carer’s Allowance
- Challenging Decisions
- First Tier Tribunal Appeals (ESA, AA, DLA, PIP, UC)
- New Style Employment and Support Allowance
- Pension Credit
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Training Workshops
Our workshops are currently funded by the National Lottery and are aimed at those working and volunteering in the advice and information sector in Torbay.
June
16th 2026
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
The workshop will cover, who can claim; transferring from DLA to PIP; how it is assessed; elements; points system; activities and descriptors; payment and backdating; effect of an award on other benefits; claiming under the ‘special rules’.
Moving on to application process: Initial telephone claim; completing the PIP 2 form; supporting evidence; medical assessment; award reviews; decision notice. Next steps if claim is unsuccessful.
June
23rd 2026
Pension Credit
The workshop will cover, Eligibility – Who can claim; minimum income guarantee; additional elements; savings credit; capital limits; effect of occupational pensions and other income; what happens with mixed age couples; effect of an award on other benefits.
Making a claim – online, phone or by post; evidence required; payment and backdating; next steps if claim is unsuccessful.
July
14th 2026
Attendance Allowance
The workshop will cover an overview of benefit and eligibility/entitlement rules moving on to the application process: How to claim; completing the form; supporting evidence; statement from someone who knows you; lower or higher rate; meaning of specific terms – ‘frequent attention’, ‘bodily functions’, etc.; claiming for someone who lacks capacity; effect of an award on other benefits. Next steps if claim is unsuccessful.
July
29th 2026
Benefit's For Carer's
The workshop will cover an overview of eligibility and how to claim Carer’s Allowance. Looking at how this applies to certain groups, including working people and pensioners.
Also looking at the Carer Element of UC, Additional Carer Amount in Pension Credit and the various ways carers can get discounts on their Council Tax.
September
22nd 2026
First Tier Tribunals
The workshop will provide an overview of the appeals procedure, from registering the appeal to the hearing itself, moving on to preparing a case: Assessing the case; time limits and late appeals; gathering evidence; effect of case law; writing a submission; preparing the client; role of the representative; options after the hearing.
October
20th 2026
Introduction to Benefits Level 1
The workshop will cover a basic overview of the benefits system, including the difference between means tested and non-means tested benefits; overlapping benefits; online benefit calculators; identifying qualifying conditions with particular reference to Universal Credit.
October
27th 2026
Introduction to Benefits Level 2
The workshop will build on Introduction to Benefits 1, or the trainees’ existing knowledge, a more detailed overview of the principal benefits: Universal Credit; PIP; Attendance Allowance; Pension Credit; Carer’s Allowance; Housing and Council Tax Benefit; New Style ESA.