Four disgruntled ex-citizens advice service workers set up Dumfries Welfare Rights in August 2000. We began working early 2001 as a recognised Scottish charity. To date May 2008, Dumfries Welfare Rights have helped and identified for our clients over £25,500,000 in Welfare Benefits. Our principal aim is to relieve poverty, by helping and educating people in Welfare Rights and other related matters, thus improve the incomes and living standards of elderly, vulnerable, and disabled people all over the United Kingdom and possibly world wide via the internet.

To do this we:

Disability - the facts

Disability affects the lives of a huge sector of our society. There are an estimated 8.5 million disabled people living in the UK, together with millions more involved as family members or carers. The majority of disabled people are over retirement age, while many of working age are not able to work. Others face employer discrimination and difficulties in getting access to training. As a consequence unemployment is much higher amongst disabled people. Yet day-to-day living is more expensive, with extra money needed for things like heating, clothing, special diets, travel, prescriptions and equipment.

The majority of disabled people rely on state benefits as their main source of income. Consequently the efficient take-up of benefits - and a positive campaign to raise the level of these benefits - is fundamental to improving the living standards of disabled people. Yet the system is hugely complex - there are at least 35 different benefits that a disabled person could possibly claim, each with its own complicated qualifying criteria.

It is not surprising that tens of thousands of people miss out on thousands of millions of pounds each year, because the system is so confusing. This is why our Welfare Rights Advice Service is so important.

Welfare Rights Advice Service

We enjoy a well-earned reputation locally as a leading authority on social security benefits for disabled people and their carers. We help guide people through the complex maze of benefits by providing accurate, up-to-date and accessible information.

Our Welfare Rights Advice Service provides information and advice through the internet (possibly a first in Scotland) and to selected clients via our FREEPHONE telephone helpline. Our Welfare Rights public telephone advice line - 01387-266888 is for disabled people, their families and carers, and the professionals who work with them. We maximise our effectiveness by taking up administrative and legal issues with the Benefits Agency, the DSS the Inland Revenue (who are responsible for the new tax credits) and local Authorities.

Training

We provide a variety of courses on the social security benefits available. To other organisation, agencies, and other interested people. These are aimed at local authorities and advice organisations and vary from basic introductory courses to advanced specialist courses. We also offer specially tailored in-house training for groups and organisations. In addition we hope to run conferences and seminars on issues of concern locally.

DISCLAIMER - Although every effort is made to ensure the information on these pages is accurate and up to date, we cannot be held liable for any inaccuracies and their consequences. The information should not be treated as a complete and authoritative statement of the law. If you wish to know more about your benefit rights, you should seek independent advice.