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  2. Benefits and money
  3. Benefits and financial support
  4. Guide to benefits
  5. Welfare changes

Support if you're affected by welfare changes

There are measures in place for people in Northern Ireland to reduce the impact of welfare changes.

Welfare Supplementary Payments

Welfare Supplementary Payments are available to support you if you may lose out under the following changes:

  • Benefit Cap
  • Employment and Support Allowance
  • Personal Independence Payment
  • Loss of disability premiums/elements
  • Carers
  • Changes to Housing Benefit

You may be eligible for more than one Welfare Supplementary Payment depending on your circumstances. 

If you have lost benefit as a result of the welfare changes, and you think you may be entitled to a Welfare Supplementary Payment, contact the Welfare Supplementary Payments Team to check if you are eligible. 

Payments will be made every four weeks in arrears.

If you are paid too much

If you're paid too much money it's called an 'overpayment' and the Department for Communities can take back any money that has been overpaid. It will contact you before it takes back any money.

If too much money is paid directly to your landlord, they may be asked to pay the money back.

It's important to report any changes in your circumstances - your Welfare Supplementary Payment award letter will explain how to do this. Changes in circumstances you need to report include:

  • admission to hospital or care home
  • change of address
  • change to bank account details

Welfare Supplementary Payments and Universal Credit

If you receive a Welfare Supplementary Payment and move to Universal Credit, your Welfare Supplementary Payment will normally stop. Instead, most people will get an ‘administrative payment’.

Welfare Supplementary Payments and tax credits

Welfare Supplementary Payments will only be included as income in your tax credits assessment if they replace a benefit that is currently included as income and which would normally have been taxable.

Welfare Supplementary Payments and Income Tax

Your Welfare Supplementary Payment may be taxable. 

If you receive a Welfare Supplementary Payment that is taxable, you must tell Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC). It is your responsibility to do this. You can tell HMRC through your online Personal Tax Account.

Online Personal Tax Account

You can set up or sign into your online Personal Tax Account at the following page. You'll need your National Insurance Number and a passport or recent payslip.

  • Personal tax account: sign in or set up (GOV.UK website)

You can then use your Personal Tax Account to:

  • tell HMRC of your taxable Welfare Supplementary Payments
  • see if you are already paying any tax on your Welfare Supplementary Payments
  • tell HMRC about changes to your taxable Welfare Supplementary Payments

More information and advice

For more information on Welfare Supplementary Payments, phone or write to the Welfare Supplementary Payments Team. 

If you use sign language, you might be able to use the video relay service to contact the Welfare Supplementary Payments Team using British Sign Language (BSL) or Irish Sign Language (ISL). To access the service, go to:

Welfare Supplementary Payments Team

For independent advice on Welfare Changes, contact the Advice NI Helpline. 

Discretionary Support

If you have a financial crisis and are eligible, you could be offered a Discretionary Support loan or grant.

Further information is available in the Finance Support section:

  • Finance Support
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Welfare changes

  • Appeal a benefits decision
  • Benefit debt deductions from your pay
  • Benefit sanctions
  • Changes to Employment and Support Allowance
  • Changes to Housing Benefit
  • Changes to the Social Fund
  • Claim Discretionary Support
  • Discretionary Support
  • Discretionary Support self-isolation grant
  • Finance Support
  • Getting ready for Universal Credit in Northern Ireland
  • Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • Short-term Benefit Advance
  • Social Fund Budgeting Loan
  • Social Fund Sure Start Maternity Grant
  • Support if you're affected by welfare changes
  • The Benefit Cap
  • Universal Credit Contingency Fund short-term living expenses grant
  • Welfare changes
  • Welfare changes helpline

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What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email 
dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email 
customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

  • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
  • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

  • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
    contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
     
  • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
    contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

 

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

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