Muir Group News
14th April 2011
Millie’s advice benefits residents
MUIR Group Housing Association residents are being given extra help to ensure they are receiving the right benefits following Government changes to the system.
Millie Ridley is a Welfare Benefits Adviser with Muir Group Housing Association, which has its headquarters and properties in Chester.
In the last 12 months she has helped more than 700 tenants gain a better understanding of how the system works and, in some cases, to realise there are other benefits they are entitled to.
“There are a lot of people out there who aren’t claiming the tax credits and pension credits they should be,” said Millie.
“A lot of people who work full-time don’t realise they are entitled to housing benefit and there are a lot of disability benefits that people don’t realise they can claim.”
Millie holds surgeries, phones people and visits them in their home to talk through what benefits they are entitled to, checks they are receiving the correct ones and helps them to fill in the claim forms.
One of the big changes she has been helping people with is the gradual phasing out of incapacity benefit which is being replaced with employment support allowance.
“Times are still quite tough for a lot of people and if they are entitled to extra benefits then it is only fair that they should receive them,” said Millie.
“I am here to help people understand the changes to the system and how it is going to affect them.”
To contact Millie call: 0300 123 1222, email
info@Muir.org.uk or fill in the self-referral form on the website at:
www.muir.org.uk/contact_benefits.aspx.
