Some sound advice for when gambling spins out of control
Q: I need some help. I have a very bad gambling habit. I keep getting into debt and as soon as I am out it I build it up again. I really don’t want my wife to find out, I don’t owe anything just now, but know I could rack up more soon.
Q: My dad passed away and his funeral is all planned, but who do I contact to inform them of his death, for his benefits etc.?
A: When someone dies, it is often necessary to inform several government departments, both central and local, as well as government agencies such as the Passport Service and the DVLA, in order for them to update their records.
If the person who has died was receiving any benefits, it is important that each benefit paying department is informed individually, in order to prevent an overpayment.
The Tell Us Once service operates in most local authority areas in England, Wales and Scotland. Following registration of a death, it allows you to report the death to several local and central government departments and agencies in one contact, including, for
Gambling addiction can easily spiral out of control
A: If you want to stop gambling, the best thing to do is add your name to a list of people gambling companies aren’t allowed to serve. This is called ‘selfexcluding’ yourself.
You can self-exclude from each separate company you might gamble with, or from multiple companies at the same time.
To self-exclude from a particular venue, ask the staff there for details.
Online, look for the Responsible Gambling section of the website, or the help section.
To self-exclude from more than one venue or website at the same time, use the multi-operator schemes listed on the website of each type of gambling you want help avoiding.
To proceed with this, visit: https:// www.begambleaware.org/safergambling/how-to-self-exclude/
If you’d like to talk to someone about your problem, you can:
Speak to an adviser for free at GamCare: call 0808 8020 133.
Visit https://gascotland.org/ to find a local Gamblers Anonymous meeting. You can also: Find out more about support you can get on https://www.gamcare.org.uk/
Find more strategies to stop yourself gambling on https://www. example, the DVLA, the Passport Service, gamblingcommission.gov.uk/for-thepublic/Safer-gambling/Tools-to-helpyou-control-your-gambling.aspx the Disability and Carers Service, and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for child benefit and tax credits.
Download the free Gambling In order to use Tell Us Once, you must Therapy app – it’s a collection of register the death first. You can then strategies to help with gambling. access Tell Us Once:
If you need any help with debts please Face-to-face through the local contact your local Citizens Advice authority where the person who died Bureau and we can provide free and was living; or confidential debt advice. Via a dedicated freephone number operated by the DWP Pension Service. The registrar will provide the number when the death is registered; or
Online via the GOV.UK website using a unique reference number supplied by the Registrar.
If you use Tell Us Once to inform the DWP and HMRC about a death, this discharges your duty to report the change of circumstances to individual benefit paying offices with respect to most benefits. You’ll not need to inform each office separately.
In England, Wales and Scotland, the DWP Bereavement Service allows you to give the DWP all the information that is needed about the deceased in a single telephone call, regardless of how many DWP benefits are in payment. At the same time, the DWP can:
Do an eligibility check to find out if the surviving partner or next of kin may be entitled to benefits as a result of the bereavement.
Take claims for bereavement benefits.
Take claims for a Social Fund funeral payment for clients living in England and Wales, or signpost to Social Security Scotland’s Funeral Support Payment for clients living in Scotland.
Make any changes to a husband’s, wife’s or civil partner’s state pension, as a result of the death.
Contact details of the DWP Bereavement Service are 0800 731 0469
Q: I was receiving Personal Independence Payment (PIP) then I went to prison for four months. They then suspended my payments, can they do this? Surely I should still receive my payments as my condition hasn’t changed.
A: Personal independence payment (PIP) will continue to be paid for the first 28 days in prison.
This applies both to convicted prisoners and prisoners on remand. After 28 days, payments will be suspended until the prisoner is released.
Suspended payments are not refunded whatever the outcome of the case. Two or more periods in prison are added together if they are within one year of each other.
Ex-prisoners should, as soon as possible after release, call DWP and get their PIP reinstated then you can also possibly claim Universal Credit (UC).
A national initiative called Freshstart helps prisoners claim benefits immediately on release from prison.
Before leaving prison, the prisoner can give information to the Jobcentre Plus staff in the prison who will pass it on to the prisoner’s nearest Jobcentre Plus office, which will arrange a workfocused interview immediately on the prisoner’s release.
If a prisoner has been exempt from liability to pay council tax during their sentence on the grounds that their dwelling was unoccupied, they must contact the local authority on release as they are now liable for council tax.
Q: I live in a private rented property and my roof has started to leak last week, I reported this to my landlord, but he said due to the COVID19 situation he can’t do anything just now. I find this absurd, surely he has an obligation to get it fixed.
A: The landlord is still responsible for doing these repairs, even while the rules about staying at home because of coronavirus are in place.
The landlord or a tradesperson should still be able to enter your home to fix urgent health and safety issues, like if:
There’s a problem with the structure of the building – for example, the roof is leaking. The boiler is broken – meaning you don’t have heating or hot water. There’s a plumbing issue – meaning you don’t have washing or toilet facilities. White goods that came with the home are broken – like a fridge or washing machine. There’s a security problem – like a broken window or entrance door. Equipment for a disabled person needs to be fixed. If the landlord or a tradesperson has to enter your home to fix an urgent issue, you and the landlord should: Stay in separate rooms during any visits. Follow official advice on hygiene before, during and after visits.
Q: I have been unwell recently and not been working. I applied for Personal Independence Payment and was successful, but feel as though I could work part time now. Am I allowed to work and claim PIP?
A: In theory yes, you can claim PIP and work. But this would depend on if your condition has changed. If you’re better you should inform DWP of a change in your circumstances and this may affect your award of PIP.