Tag: advice

Edinburgh Police: Stick with the guidance and stay at home

Chief Superintendent Sean Scott has asked everyone in Edinburgh to stick with the guidance to stay at home as part of the collective effort to slow the spread of #Coronavirus.

He said: “Across Edinburgh, we have seen people playing their part, engaging with our officers and complying with the guidance in place to protect the NHS and save lives.

“The restrictions in place have not changed and we need everyone to continue engaging and co-operating with us.

“We are still here for you. If you need to report a crime or you have concerns about someone who may be at risk of harm, please let us know. We will help.”

The latest information on interventions by Police Scotland, including a divisional breakdown, is available here ➡️ http://ow.ly/2NjG50zAU32

#StayHomeSaveLives 🏠

Police issue vehicle crime prevention advice

There has been a slight rise in thefts from motor vehicles and theft of motor vehicles in Edinburgh. Here’s some advice on how to prevent these:

Despite modern locking systems on vehicles, some criminals do manage to overcome them by using devices bought legally and relatively cheaply on the internet. All of which work by affecting the radio frequency imitated by the key fob / device, enabling vehicles to be stolen despite owners having possession of the key(s).

Key and Fob

The majority of vehicles are accessed by a combination of traditional key and fob remote. The fob tending to be used more frequently than the key, due to the convenience of simply pushing a button. However, criminals can block the radio signal between the fob and vehicle, using a signal blocker.

You press your fob and walk away as normal thinking the vehicle is locked. But it isn’t!
Once inside your vehicle, thieves can remove any items they like or drive it away by plugging a re-programing device into the on board diagnostics port and program a key, which may only take seconds.
Preventative measures:
• Physically checking the vehicle is locked and checking ALL the doors
• Using the traditional key to lock up
• Make sure the key and any spares are stored securely and safely
• Consider using a steering lockKeyless Vehicles
Keyless vehicles automatically lock / unlock depending on the proximity of a key device, which is usually no bigger than a bank card. The system operates via radio signals passed between vehicle and key device. These signals can be intercepted by criminals.

Keys constantly emit a signal, (at times even detectable from within a building), which can be picked up by anyone with an appropriate transmitter relay device.
The signal is relayed back to the vehicle, which unlocks and allows the start button to work and once away from the scene of the crime, a new key can be programmed via the OBD port.

Preventative measures:

• Keep your key device in a Faraday pouch (see picture above ), which has a lining that prevents the items inside from receiving or transmitting radio frequency signals.
• Check vehicle doors are locked before walking away
• Do not store keys near windows or doors
• If you buy a second hand keyless car, get the key reprogrammed
• Make sure the key and any spares are stored securely and safely
• Consider using a steering lockGeneral advice:

• Do not leave any valuable items in the vehicle- if left on show they will encourage thieves to break in. Please note areas such as glove boxes and under seats are not secure and not suitable for the storage of valuables.
• Consider using a steering locks a visible deterrent to thieves – someone who is so obviously conscious of security is less likely to leave valuable in a vehicle.
• Avoid parking in dark, secluded areas, choose locations that are well lit and over looked by houses, passers-by and covered by CCTV if possible.

Disability groups call for urgent changes to benefits system

The Disability Benefits Consortium (DBC), a network of over 100 organisations, have written an open letter (below) to Thérèse Coffey, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to call for urgent changes to the benefits system to ensure we protect disabled and seriously unwell people from further physical and financial harm during the covid-19 emergency.

Full details of these proposals can be found in the DBC reports section.

“Dear Secretary of State,

Covid-19 – the Disability Benefits Consortium’s proposals for additional short-term measures to protect disabled people’s incomes

The Disability Benefits Consortium (DBC) is a network of over 100 organisations with an interest in disability and social security. For our full list of members, see https://disabilitybenefitsconsortium.wordpress.com/dbc-members/

Using our combined knowledge, experience and direct contact with millions of disabled individuals, people with long-term health conditions and carers, we seek to ensure that Government policy reflects and meets the needs of all disabled people.

The DBC welcomes the recently announced measures designed to protect the incomes of large numbers of people whose livelihoods have been adversely impacted by the Covid-19 crisis. But we believe that these support measures need to go further.

People living with a disability and those with long-term health conditions tend to have lower real incomes and higher costs than the general population and we are calling on the Government to produce a more comprehensive package of support, to better protect these individuals and their families, at this difficult time.

1. One of the most pressing issues is the current level of demand on the system due to the unprecedented number of new claims. This is causing extremely long waiting times and problems with the digital claims process. We welcome the commitment to expand the Department’s capacity, but the challenge remains considerable. We believe that the Government should give high priority to resolving urgently the technical and capacity issues involved.

Also, clear guidance must be made available (to the public and to staff) regarding the correct process to make both a digital claim for Universal Credit (UC) and a non-digital claim, including how the verification call is to be made – that is, if outbound from the DWP rather than inbound from the claimant.

2. The increase in the UC standard allowance is very welcome, helping to cushion the financial shock, which many will experience. However, other claimants likewise face financial challenges, especially after several years of a benefit freeze. We recommend that the Government should give a corresponding uplift of “legacy” and similar benefits – including, for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), the restoration of the Work-Related Activity Group (and UC equivalent Limited Capability for Work) addition.

3. We believe that artificial limits that keep many households (mainly with children) below basic benefit levels are particularly inappropriate at this time. We recommend that the Government should suspend the benefit cap and the “two-child policy”.

4. Any Working Tax Credit (WTC) claimant who loses their job over the coming few months will not be able to continue claiming WTC and will have to claim UC instead. This means they will lose Transitional Protection (TP). As you know, this is a temporary top-up payment that would have been added to their UC to offset any losses, when the DWP eventually transferred them from WTC – but it is not payable when you move to UC because of a change of circumstances, such as job loss.

Disabled people in work and parents of disabled children stand to lose far more than most people if they lose TP – sometimes amounting to thousands of pounds a year. This will make it even more difficult for them to recover from the economic shock of the next few months.

The recommendation above to restore the Limited Capability for Work Addition to UC will help, as long as these claimants can retain it in their UC calculation up to and after they return to work.

Also, we recommend that the lower rate of the disabled child element of UC should be restored to its level in the legacy system.

5. New claimants for UC will have to wait at least five weeks until they receive their first payment. We know that this can mean people face a significant reduction in income, leading to worry about how to pay bills and buy food. The DWP offers an “advance payment”, in effect a loan deducted from future payments, which can leave people struggling to make ends meet. We recommend that the Government should make all UC advances for disabled people non-repayable grants.

6. There has been no formal indication that work-related conditionality has been suspended, although it is difficult to see how it could be meaningfully applied in present circumstances. We recommend that the Government should explicitly suspend work-related conditionality and associated sanctions.

7. Currently, 1.3 million claimants have deductions made from their UC payments to pay debts – over half of them losing 20% or more of their basic allowance. We recommend that the Government should suspend all debt repayment deductions from UC, to ease financial hardship for the duration of the current crisis.

8. It is very important that, during this epidemic, people living with a terminal illness have swift access to benefits via the Special Rules for Terminal Illness. It is our understanding that under UC, people with a terminal illness will temporarily be able to apply via the Special Rules without the DWP needing sight of a DS1500 form (a form signed by a medical professional to say that the person has a reasonable expectation of death within six months). If this is the case, then this is a very welcome step. We recommend that the Government should extend this provision to other benefits which can be applied for under the Special Rules: ESA, Personal Independence Payment and Attendance Allowance.

There are further measures that the Government could take that are likely to have an impact on those living with a disability and in need of benefit support at this time, including:

9. As medical professionals come under more pressure over the coming weeks it is unreasonable to expect they will be able to provide medical evidence to support a claimant’s benefit application. We recommend that the Government should extend the time requirements for claimants to return paperwork and to gather medical evidence where necessary.

10. Similar pressures are likely to slow down the Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) process. This will mean people could be receiving less financial support than they are entitled to. We recommend that the Government should pay the basic/ standard rate to claimants whose benefit is suspended pending MR, until the process is completed – and also, fully reinstate a benefit that has been wholly or partly withdrawn and is awaiting MR or an appeal.

11. Help to pay council tax is also crucial at this time of acute financial pressure. We recommend that the Government should encourage Local Authorities to remove features such as the two-child policy and the self-employed claimants’ Minimum Income Floor from their local Council Tax Support/ Reduction schemes. Some have simply copied these rules automatically from DWP benefits, possibly without fully appreciating their adverse impact where claimants are struggling.

We hope that, when something like a normal life returns, the support package as outlined above, which suggests achievable and positive temporary improvements, to be introduced in response to a crisis, might prove a focus for longer-term policy discussion.

Meanwhile, we commend to the Government the above proposals to make immediate changes to complement the emergency measures already taken.

In view of the widespread public interest in the current emergency measures, we shall be releasing these proposals to the media.

Yours sincerely,

Disability Benefits Consortium”

Local help is available if you are experiencing problems with your benefits.

Granton Information Centre provides a free and confidential service. Telephone 0131 551 2459 or 552 0458 or you can email info@gic.org.uk

The office is closed to the public, but the service is very much running!

PIP claims plummet but help is at hand

New claims for PIP have plummeted by more than half since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, the work and pensions committee was told last week.

At the committee session, Justin Tomlinson, minister for disabled people, stated: “We have seen a significant drop in the number of new claimants. We’re not totally sure why.

“But in January 51,000 new claimants in the month. At the beginning of March it was around about 12,000 a week, that’s now down to 5,000 a week as of last week.

Mr Tomlinson also stated that although there were fewer staff now available to deal with disability benefits, new claims for PIP were actually going through more quickly, partly as a result of a switch away from face-to-face assessments and partly due to a drop in the number of claims.

He said the average length of time from the beginning to end of the process has actually improved.

If you are experiencing problems with a PIP claim or need benefits advice Granton Information Centre can help. Due to the Coronavirus restrictions the office is currently closed to the public, but GIC is still operating!

Please call Monday – Friday, 9.30am – 4pm on 0131 551 2459 or 0131 552 0458 if:

•You would like to arrange a telephone appointment to discuss money, benefits, housing or debt
•You wish to discuss an existing case
•You require a foodbank referral

All messages will be returned as long as you clearly leave a telephone number for us to reach you on.

Emails will be monitored daily – our email address is info@gic.org.uk

Public encouraged to be vigilant and report scams

MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald, has encouraged people in the capital to be aware of scams and fake news following an increase in reports across Scotland about scam emails, text messages, and doorstep callers.  

Across the UK there is evidence fraudsters are increasingly targeting members of the public, as well as organisations of all sizes, with emails, texts, telephone calls, social media messages and online shopping scams relating to the outbreak.

Police Scotland have now launched a new Shut Out Scammers resource to protect the public and businesses from COVID-19 related scams. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has also launched an email reporting service, which the public can use to report any suspicious activity.

SNP MSP Gordon MacDonald said: “While the community response to the coronavirus outbreak across Edinburgh has been overwhelmingly positive, it’s disappointing to see a few individuals taking advantage of the situation with unsolicited emails, phone calls and text messages.  

“During this coronavirus crisis, everyone should take extra care to ensure that they only share information from trusted sources, ask for identification from all doorstep callers, and never hand over any personal information. 

“It’s vital that people in our capital remain vigilant against scams during this challenging time and report any suspicious activity to the relevant authorities.”

Across the UK we are seeing evidence that fraudsters are increasingly targeting the public and organisations with emails, texts, telephone calls and WhatsApp messages offering advice and treatment for the coronavirus.

They are setting up fake websites selling products and offering ‘cures’ or testing kits. Scammers have also been setting up bogus websites asking for donations for victims or promoting awareness and prevention tips. Cold callers have been contacting organisations suggesting they must have specific measures in place by a certain deadline.

To help members of the public protect themselves from becoming a victim of fraud:

  • Be vigilant and on guard if someone turns up unexpectedly
  • but don’t rely on them. Identity cards can be faked – phone the company to verify their identity
  • Never let people try to persuade you to let them into your home even if they are asking for or offering help – they may not be genuine. If someone is persistent, ask them to call at another time and arrange for a friend or family member to be with you
  • Don’t feel embarrassed – genuine callers expect you to be careful
  • Never provide any personal data such as your full name, address and date of birth – scammers can use this information to steal your identity
  • Don’t keep large amounts of money in your home
  • If in doubt, don’t answer the door.
  •  Never feel pressured into making a decision on the spot. Any legitimate trader/helper will be happy to return at a later date
  •  Never be afraid to say ‘No thank you’ and close the door
  •  Be sceptical if you receive an email, text or WhatsApp message about the Coronavirus, and never click on any attachments or links
  •  Don’t allow yourself to be pressured into donating money, and never make donations by cash or gift card, or send money through transfer agents such as Western Union or Moneygram
  •  Remember, it’s your home. There’s no reason why anyone should ever enter your home against your wishes.

    Who can help me?

    To report a crime call 101 or in an emergency 999.

    If you have concerns about a purchase that you have made, contact Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000. – www.advice.scot

    Further information on dealing with scams and fraud is available from our partner sites, who can offer further information, support and advice:

 

 

Support for vulnerable households facing higher energy bills during lockdown

With an estimated 16.8 million more people across the UK staying at home during the Covid-19 pandemic, concerns have been raised over vulnerable households in Scotland facing higher fuel costs as their energy consumption increases during the lockdown.

Bills are expected to rise by about 30%** in the coming months as, even with the weather starting to turn warmer, households are using more power to run their hot water, heating, computers and other appliances during the day when previously the home would be empty.

Whilst the government has signalled it may step in to support vulnerable households and the initial crash in the price of oil has provided some relief to the 135,000 oil heated households in Scotland, there is concern many will still struggle, particularly if they face reduced incomes or additional costs of looking after relatives.

In response OFTEC, the trade association for the oil heating industry, is alerting households to the support available and providing advice on how to reduce energy consumption. This includes:

  • Identify the benefits available to you. Several new government measures have been announced including extended statutory sick pay (SSP) for those self-isolating, enhanced Employment Support Allowance (ESA) for the self-employed and higher housing benefit payments if your income has dropped due to Covid-19. Contact Citizens Advice for information on the support you could claim.
  • Speak with your energy provider. Customers in financial distress must be supported by their supplier, according to the government. This could include a reassessment or pausing of debt repayments. For oil households, some suppliers are prioritising deliveries to vulnerable groups such as older people, families with small children or those with underlying health conditions.
  • Only heat the rooms you are using. Turn off individual radiators in rooms you are not using to save money. Also, in the rooms you use regularly, ensure radiators are not blocked with furniture as this reduces their effectiveness.
  • Adjust your heating timers. You may have a new routine if you are working from home so check when you heating is set to turn on. For example, if you are getting up later in the morning you may not need your house to warm up as early. With the worst of the cold weather seemingly behind us, you could also start to reduce how long your heating is on for.
  • Keep in contact with vulnerable neighbours and friends to ensure they are keeping well, especially as the lockdown could increase feelings of loneliness. There are many free video-calling platforms to stay in touch or a regular phone call can make a real difference. If you need to visit them to drop off food or other essentials, ensure you carefully follow the government’s social distancing guidelines.

“During these unsettling times, many households may be feeling anxious about higher energy bills because they are spending more time at home during the day”, says Malcolm Farrow of OFTEC.

“However, new announcements about the support available are being made every day by the government and energy suppliers so it’s important to identify those which apply to you, or to family and friends who you know are struggling.

“The warmer weather will help to reduce reliance on heating and other measures such as adjusting timers and radiators may seem trivial but, over several weeks and months, the savings can really add up. They are also usually simple jobs most people can do themselves.”

More information and advice, including what to do if your heating systems needs emergency repair work during the Covid-19 lockdown, is available here: https://www.oftec.org/consumers/covid-19-consumer-information.

Free Coronavirus Information book for children

Axel Scheffler has illustrated a digital book for primary school age children, free for anyone to read on screen or print out, about the coronavirus and the measures taken to control it.

Published by Nosy Crow, and written by staff within the company, the book has had expert input: Professor Graham Medley of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine acted as a consultant, and the company also had advice from two head teachers and a child psychologist.

The book answers key questions in simple language appropriate for 5 to 9 year olds:

• What is the coronavirus?
• How do you catch the coronavirus?
• What happens if you catch the coronavirus?
• Why are people worried about catching the coronavirus?
• Is there a cure for the coronavirus?
• Why are some places we normally go to closed?
• What can I do to help?
• What’s going to happen next?

We want to make sure that this book is accessible to every child and family and so the book is offered totally free of charge to anyone who wants to read it.

However, we have suggested, at the back of the book, that families might make a donation to help our health service if they find the book useful: https://www.nhscharitiestogether.co.uk/.

Kate Wilson, Managing Director of Nosy Crow, said: “We were very aware that many parents and carers are struggling to explain the current extraordinary situation to children, many of whom are frightened and confused.

“We thought that the best thing we could do would be to use our skills to produce a free book to explain and, where possible, reassure children. We asked Axel, whose work is so familiar and so loved, to illustrate it. He was happy to do it, and did it extraordinarily quickly.

“Meanwhile, having heard Professor Medley interviewed by the BBC, we looked him up and wrote to him, and despite his huge workload, he reviewed the book over a weekend, and we were able to incorporate his suggestions, together with those of two head teachers and a child psychologist, into the final version of the book. We hope it helps answer difficult questions in difficult times.”

Axel Scheffler, illustrator of The Gruffalo, said: “I asked myself what I could do as an children’s illustrator to inform, as well as entertain, my readers here and abroad. So I was glad when my publisher, Nosy Crow, asked me to illustrate this question-and-answer book about the coronavirus.

“I think it is extremely important for children and families to have access to good and reliable information in this unprecedented crisis, and I hope that the popularity of the books I’ve done with Julia Donaldson will ensure that this digital book will reach many children who are now slightly older, but might still remember our picture books.”

Professor Graham Medley, Professor of Infectious Disease Modelling at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: “This pandemic is changing children’s lives across the globe and will have a lasting impact on us all.

“Helping children understand what is going on is an important step in helping them cope and making them part of the story – this is something that we are all going through, not something being done to them.

“This book puts children IN the picture rather just watching it happen, and in a way that makes the scary parts easier to cope with.”

You can download a copy of the book here 

Stick to advice: STAY HOME THIS WEEKEND

With warm weather forecast this weekend people may feel tempted to head out more, but please stick to government guidance. You are saving lives by staying at home.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Don’t travel unless it is essential and particularly avoid using public transport this weekend.

“I know that during the warm weather this weekend people may feel tempted to make the most of it and head out to nearby green spaces more than they have in recent weeks.

“But I want to urge everyone to continue to follow government guidance; that means not travelling too far to exercise or walk pets, staying 2 metres away from other people when outside, and only making journeys when absolutely essential.

“Please remember that anyone can get coronavirus and anyone can spread it – so stay home, protect the NHS, and save lives. As the Prime Minister has said, we will beat coronavirus, and we will beat it together. But to do that we need to stick with the guidance in place, and not break the regulations set to help tackle this outbreak.

“And for those people in the transport sector continuing to work day in and day out to ensure frontline workers can get to work, I want to reiterate my heartfelt thanks at the efforts and dedication you’re showing in helping with this nationwide effort.”