Conferences and Meetings:
Maximising Income
Virtual
Wednesday 14th January 2026
Wednesday 21st January 2026
Wednesday 28th January 2026
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This is a course of three half-day sessions running from 9 am to 1pm each day over three weeks delivered virtually through “Teams” by Roger Bowen IRRV, Welfare Benefit Training Officer for IRRV.
This course has been devised for financial inclusion officers and also for customer service staff to ensure they are aware of the help available to their customers, it will include discussions, exercises, a look at some of the forms and how to fill them in – attendance allowance in particular, links to useful websites and a handy checklist of available benefits and help available.
The course will cover the following topics
Day One
- Difference between non-means tested and means tested benefits
- Legislation changes affecting benefits (including Benefit cap, two child restriction, under occupancy etc.)
- Change of circumstances that should be notified to DWP etc. and can affect benefits.
- Universal Credit (UC)
- Eligibility
- Claiming UC
- How UC is calculated
- How UC is paid (including advances, payment to landlord and alternate payment arrangements)
- Sanctions (including hardship payments)
- Managed and Natural Migration to UC
- Transition to UC housing costs
Day Two
- Disability Living Allowance
- Purpose
- Eligibility
- Claiming
- Components
- Impact on other benefits
- Personal Independence Payments
- Purpose
- Eligibility including 3 month qualifying rule
- Claiming
- Components
- Assessments – point system and evidence needed
- Attendance Allowance
- Purpose
- Eligibility – medical and physical conditions
- Claiming – complete a form and tips on how to answer it, importance of completing form correctly and providing evidence on time.
- Components
Day Three
- Guaranteed Pension Credit
- Purpose
- Benefits of GC – (passported benefit)
- Mixed age couples rules
- Pension Credit calculator
- Claiming on-line
- Savings Pension credit
- Other Benefits and help
- Housing Benefit (for pension age) and Council Tax Reduction
- Carers allowance
- Industrial injuries benefit.
- Bereavement Benefit
- Armed Forces compensation
- Armed forces charities
- Discretionary Housing Payment
- Household support fund
- Help with fuel poverty
- Broadband social tariffs
- Mobile phone (switching to sim only)
- Help from local authorities
- Budgeting advances and loans
- Free school meals
- Help with Funeral costs
- Food banks/vouchers
- Switching Banks/ credit cards
- Healthy start
- links to benefit calculators - Lightning reach and Pocket Power
- Further changes in Benefits
- An update on proposed changes in disability benefits
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Course Details
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How to Book
BOOK NOW !
Please book online using the Book Now Icon above (right hand corner of screen)
Enquiries can be made by email to conference@irrv.org.uk or by telephone 020 7691 8987.
Please note in order for your booking to be processed you must have a purchase order number.
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Fees
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£265 plus VAT IRRV Personal Member Rate (valid for Individual Members only)
£325 plus VAT Forum/Organisational Rate
£405 plus VAT Non- Member Rate -
Special Member Offer: 3rd delegate gets 25% Reduction
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This offer is available to organisations sending 3 or more delegates and attending from the same organisation. Bookings must be made at the same time. It will be applied to the cheapest rate. At least one of the delegates must be a member of the Institute in order to receive this discount or alternatively, the organisation must subscribe to either the Forum Service or Organisational Membership Service.
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Programme Changes And Cancellation / Rescheduling Of Events
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The Institute will make every effort to give delegates as much notice as possible of any programme changes or the cancellation / re-scheduling of an event. However, it does reserve the right to make changes to advertised programmes and to cancel / re-schedule events. In the unlikely event of an event being cancelled / re-scheduled, either a full refund will be made or alternatively, any fee paid will be credited against a future booking. The Institute will not be liable for any travel and / or accommodation costs incurred by the attendee should an event be cancelled / re-scheduled.
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VAT And Cancellations
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VAT will be applied at the current rate. Cancellations two weeks before course date will be charged at 50%. Cancellations after this date will be charged at 100%. A substitute attendee is allowed at any time at no extra cost.
For more information please call 020 7691 8974/8987 or email conference@irrv.org.uk