Useful Information

On this page you will find useful information on the following:

What are Tax Credits and do I qualify?

What is the Winter Fuel Payment and do I qualify?

Where can I get advice on my employment rights?

I am receiving lots of unsolicited junk mail can I stop it?

I am receiving lots of unsolicited direct marketing telephone calls can I stop it?

I wish to report a road or street light fault in my area how can I do this?

I have just moved into Renfrewshire and wish to register to vote how do I do this?

I wish to register for a Postal Vote how do I do this?

I wish to reclaim incorrect bank charges how do I do this?

What are Tax Credits and do I qualify?

There are two types of Tax Credits, the Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit. The general rule is that to qualify for tax credits you must be aged 16 or over and usually live in the United Kingdom. You may also qualify if you do not live in the UK but you are:

A citizen of another country in the European Economic Area (EEA) and you work in the United Kingdom, or

A Crown Servant posted overseas, or

A citizen of a country in the European Economic Area (including the UK) living abroad and you receive a UK state pension or contributions-based Jobseeker's Allowance.

Couples must make a joint tax credits claim. If you are part of a couple, you cannot decide to claim as a single person.

Child Tax Credit is for people who are responsible for at least one child or qualifying young person. Child Tax Credit is paid direct to the person who is mainly responsible for caring for the child or children. If you are a lone parent you will receive the payment. Child Tax Credit can be paid to workers who continue to pay UK National Insurance Contributions when posted from the UK to work in another country in the European Economic Area.

Working Tax Credit is for people who are employed or self-employed (either on their own or in a partnership), who

• usually work 16 hours or more a week

• are paid for that work, and

• expect to work for at least 4 weeks

and who are

• aged 16 or over and responsible for at least one child, or

• aged 16 or over and disabled, or

• aged 25 or over and usually work at least 30 hours a week

Working Tax Credit is paid to the person who is working 16 hours or more a week. Couples, if both of you are working 16 hours or more a week, must choose which one of you will receive it. You cannot receive Working Tax Credit if you are not working.

As part of Working Tax Credit you may qualify for help towards the costs of childcare. If you receive the childcare element of Working Tax Credit, this will always be paid direct to the person who is mainly responsible for caring for the child or children, alongside payments of Child Tax Credit.

HM Revenue & Customs Home Page

Back to Top

What is the Winter Fuel Payment and do I qualify?

The Winter Fuel Payment is an annual payment to help people aged 60 and over with the costs of keeping warm during the winter.

If you are aged 60 to 79 and you are entitled to receive a Winter Fuel Payment, you will get either £100 or £200, depending on your circumstances in the qualifying week (18-24 September).

If you are aged 80 or over and you are entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment, you will get an extra £50 or £100, so you could get up to £300, depending on your circumstances in the qualifying week.

You do not pay tax on Winter Fuel Payments.

You will not qualify for a payment if, during the qualifying week you are:

• in hospital getting free inpatient treatment and have been getting such treatment for more than 52 weeks

• in custody serving a sentence imposed by a court

• subject to immigration control and not eligible for help from the Department for Work and Pensions (for example, as an asylum seeker who claimed asylum at the port of entry after 3 April 2000)

• living in a care home [1], an independent hospital [2] or Ilford Park Polish Resettlement Home (and have been for the preceeding 12 weeks or more), and get Pension Credit or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

Couples receiving Pension Credit or or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance will only get one payment made to the person receiving that benefit. Other couples will get £100 each if both partners are aged 60 or over and entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment.

[1] Care homes include nursing homes, residential care homes and local authority residential accommodation.

[2] An independent hospital is a hospital which is not a National Health Service Hospital.

We use partner to mean either:

• a person you are married to or a person you live with as if you are married to them

• a civil partner or a person you live with as if you are civil partners

For more information contact the Winter Fuel Payment Helpline is on 08459 15 15 15.

Back to Top

Pay & Work Rights Helpline

This confidential helpline provides help and advice on government-enforced employment rights. It provides information on National Minimum Wage rights, Agricultural Minimum Wage rights, and the right not to have to work more than 48 hours a week against your will. You can also phone the helpline for information about the employment rights that apply if you are paid by an employment agency or gangmaster.

If you need to know more about your rights in these areas, or think your employer is not respecting those rights, call the helpline for advice on 0800 917 2368 or text phone on  0800 121 4042.

Back to Top

I am receiving lots of unsolicited junk mail can I stop it?

Yes. Unwanted, unread Direct Mail has no place in anyone's home and the Mailing Preference Service helps individuals ensure that they you get only the mail you want and need.

To register for exclusion from direct mailings please visit the Mailing Preference Service and complete the online form at:

http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/mpsr/

Back to Top

I am receiving lots of unsolicited direct marketing telephone calls can I stop it?

Yes. Under by current legislation it is unlawful to make unsolicited direct marketing calls to individuals who have indicated that they do not want to receive such calls.

To register for exclusion from direct marketing telephone calls please visit the Telephone Preference Service and complete the online form at:

http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/

Back to Top

I wish to report a road or street light fault in my area how can I do this?

To report faults to roads, street lights, bus shelter/bus stop, road signs, street name plates, flooding and illuminated bollard faults within Renfrewshire you can contact Renfrewshire Council on 0141 842 4466 between 8.00am and 8.00pm Monday to Friday. Alternatively you can use the Council's on reporting form at:

Renfrewshire Council Online Fault Report Form

or you can write to the Council at:
Planning & Transport Department
Renfrewshire Council HQ
South Building
Cotton Street
PAISLEY
PA1 1LL

Amey Highways, a private contractor employed by the Scottish Executive are responsible for for trunk roads and motorways. Routes mainitained by Amey are the M8, M898, the A898, (Erskine Bridge), the A737 and the A8 from M8 junction 31 West Ferry to the Inverclyde boundary. Faults and damage on these roads should be notified to Amey by phone on 0800 028 1414 or via their online fault report form at:

Amey Online Fault Report Form

Back to Top

I have just moved into Renfrewshire and wish to register to vote how do I do this?

To register to vote please download the form below and return the completed form to the Electoral Registration Officer at:
 

Renfrewshire Joint Valuation Board
The Robertson Centre
16 Glasgow Road
Paisley
PA1 3QF
Telephone: 0141 842 5922

Electoral Registration Form
(To view this file you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. Click the Image below to get the free Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Back to Top

I wish to register for a Postal Vote how do I do this?

To register to for a Postal Vote please download the form below and return the completed form to the Electoral Registration Officer at:

 

Renfrewshire Joint Valuation Board
The Robertson Centre
16 Glasgow Road
Paisley
PA1 3QF
Telephone: 0141 842 5922

Postal Vote Application Form
(To view this file you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. Click the Image below to get the free Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Back to Top

I wish to reclaim incorrect bank charges how do I do this?

Please visit this page to download my information pack on how to reclaim incorrect bank charges.

Back to Top