ADVICE GUIDE . . .

For many years CARESCO has subscribed to the Citizens Advice Bureau Basic Information Pack. This comes in three blue folders which have been available to the general public during opening hours. The pack is up dated monthly by the CAB to reflect any relevant changes.

Technology, however, has finally caught up with the Pack and December 07 will be the last month that it will be updated. The CAB now has a very useful website at www.adviceguide.org.uk where all the information from the pack is available with the added benefit of a search engine to find what you want quickly. The site uses the same classification system and contains dozens of useful factsheets and provides links to other useful websites. www.adviceguide.org.uk  is updated constantly, is free and has won several awards for its accessibility and reliability.

If you do not have internet access at home, there are public access computers available in the library and at CARESCO during opening hours.

Alternatively contact Huntingdon CAB: Add 6 All Saints Passage, Huntingdon, Cambs PE29 3LE

Tel 01480 388900 e-mail huntingdon@huntscab.org.uk

GENERAL INFORMATION

The following information has been used with permission from CAB Current Issues. For more information please contact Huntingdon Citizens’ Advice bureaux on 01487 388900 or call into CARESCO to check the CAB information folders.

Please note that from December 2007 the CAB will no longer be producing their Current Issues. See above for more details.

Winter Fuel Payments

If you’re aged 60 or over before 23 September and you normally live in the UK, you’ll qualify for Winter Fuel payment. The amount per household is the same as last year, that is £200, with an extra £100 if you are aged 80 or over.

Most people will receive their Winter Fuel payment automatically and you should get it before Christmas.

If you’ve had a change of circumstances, for example, a change in bank account, a new address or a change in your entitlement to benefits, you should contact the Pension Service to make sure your payments continue.

The closing date for all claims is 30 March 2008.

More Paid Holidays

From October, you may be entitled to more paid holidays from your job. If you’re a full-time employee, the minimum paid holiday your employer must give you is going up from 20 days to 24 days a year. Bank holidays are included in the calculation of 24 days.

Minimum paid holiday for part-timer workers is also going up – this will depend on how many days you work a month.

Some employers may be able to give you extra pay instead of the additional holiday, but only until 1 April 2009 when the law will change again.

From 1 April 2009, employers will have to give a minimum of 28 days a year paid holidays, including bank holidays. Again, the increase will be calculated on a pro-rata basis for part-time workers.

To work out how many days paid holidays you’ll get, go to the website of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (DBERR) at www.berr.gov.uk