To ask the Minister for Communities to detail how his Department supports disabled individuals and their families in managing financial and personal affairs when controllership is not available.

My Department has processes in place to ensure that those who require support are assisted with Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance (AA) claims. These include the opportunity to have an appointee or representative to assist with the day-to-day management of claims, and for PIP, the opportunity to be accompanied when undergoing a functional assessment.

Where a customer requires additional support, a marker is set on the PIP computer system to ensure that applications are progressed to Capita for assessment where a customer fails to return a claim form to ensure that the customer is not disadvantaged.

In addition, all disability benefit customers, including Universal Credit claimants who require support, are referred to the Department’s Make the Call service for assistance, as appropriate. Make the Call deploys a team of community-based Outreach Officers who conduct home visits with vulnerable people and provide face to face assistance and support with benefit claim completion.

All benefit delivery staff also have access to the Department’s advanced customer support guidance which is designed to equip staff to both identify vulnerable customers and those with complex needs and to better support them to access services.

Customers are also signposted to independent advice which is available from the Advice NI Helpline. The helpline number is 0800 915 4604 or via email on advice@adviceni.net. This service is free, confidential, independent and impartial.