Please wait…

…Page loading

Kiosk

Learning Programme 2014

Our 2014 Learning Programme is packed full of free short courses and training sessions covering a diverse range of subjects.

The courses are FREE for Severnside residents and are split into six themes:

• Finances
• Safety in the Home
• Back to work
• Hobbies
• Communities
• DIY

They range from basic water colour painting to food hygiene, family history to map reading, from IT to plumbing and from basic first aid to applying for jobs. All of the sessions are being run by Severnside Housing staff and partner agencies and are being held at various locations in the area. Help with childcare costs and transport can also be provided for Severnside residents, if necessary.

Other people can also enrol on the courses, though priority will always be given to Severnside residents, and a small charge will apply.

For more information, ask to see our:

Learning Programme Calendar 2014 and our
Learning Programme Guide 2014

If you do not have access to computer facilities at home please read about our Digital Den where we are working in partnership with Social Telecoms.  The Digital Den, located in Meole Brace, provides free internet access and staff are available to help and support people with IT queries.

Welfare Reform

The Government is in the process of making the biggest changes to the welfare system for over 60 years. If you are claiming housing benefit, you are likely to be affected, particularly if you have children or other adults living with you.

We want to help you understand these changes, and how they may affect you. If you are of working age (younger than 61 and a half years old in April 2013) and receive housing benefit to pay your rent, these changes will impact on the amount of money you receive, and how you receive it.

It is important that you understand the changes to see if you are affected, as they are going to happen soon. The earlier you consider how you may be affected, the quicker we can offer help and support. We only have a limited supply of smaller homes, for which demand is likely to increase, as people look to down-size their existing property.

If you wait until the changes actually come in April, you may have to wait a long time for help because there will be much higher demand for homes.

If you’re not affected, you should still find out more because there will be changes in the way benefits are paid in future and you may need to prepare for this. For example, you will need to have a bank or building society account.

Payment of your Rent is classed as a 'Priority' which means that it must come first in your list of outgoings. This is because non-payment can result in you being evicted from your home. You must contact us if you have any changes in your circumstances that may affect the payment of your rent.

Whilst we try to do everything in our power to help you to avoid this, rent payments are your responsibility and it is you and your family that will lose your home.

Although evictions are rare, they do happen, as non-payment of rent is not an option for any of our residents.  If evicted, you may experience difficulty being re-housed in the future. You should also be aware that we will continue to pursue all outstanding rent arrears, court costs and any other debts that you incurred during the tenancy. We will consider using reputable debt collection agencies to recover the money which you owe us.

If you have any concerns, you should contact our Financial Inclusion Officer for help and advice. Alternatively, if you are concerned about your tenancy, please contact your Neighbourhood Officer.

You can call Severnside on 01743 285000 or 0300 300 0059, or email us at enquiries@severnsidehousing.co.uk