Welfare changes

Welfare changes in Northern Ireland

Benefit Cap

The Benefit Cap is a limit on the amount of benefit a household can receive 

 

PIP

Personal Independence Payment helps people who have a disability or long-term health condition          

 

Universal Credit

Universal Credit is a payment for people over 18 but under State Pension age who are on a low income or out of work

 

An independent Welfare Changes Helpline is available if you need help or advice about any of the changes to the welfare system.

Employment Support Allowance

Welfare Reforms will limit the amount of time ESA based on contributions can be paid to some customers 

 

Appeals

How you dispute social security decision in Northern Ireland changed on 23 May 2016

Housing Benefit/Social Sector Size Criteria

Social Sector Size Criteria has changed how Housing Benefit is calculated for tenants in social housing 

 

Finance Support

Finance Support is available to help people in times of financial crisis or need 

Sanctions

If you do not follow the rules when claiming a benefit, a sanction may be applied 

Understanding benefit fraud

If you think someone is committing benefit fraud, you can report them and stop them taking money from the people who need it most 

 

Direct Earnings Attachment

Your employer may be asked to deduct benefit overpayments that you owe from your pay

Support for those affected

Supplementary payments are available to support people who may lose out under the welfare changes

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What to do next

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

What to do next

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.

What to do next

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.

What to do next

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

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

What to do next

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

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

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

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

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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

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For queries about:

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

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

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

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

What to do next

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.

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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.

What to do next

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

For queries or advice about property valuation, email:
valuation@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about land registry, email:
CustomerInformation.LandRegistration@finance-ni.gov.uk

For mapping queries, email:
Mapping.Helpdesk@finance-ni.gov.uk

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

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What to do next

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