Support through Covid-19

You might be entitled to Contractual Sick Pay (which will depend on your employer) or Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if: you have coronavirus; are following guidance to self-isolate (unless the only reason you are self-isolating is because you have recently entered or returned to the UK). If so, SSP can be paid from day one of illness rather than day four (which is usually the case). For further information visit: gov.uk/statutory-sick-pay. In Wales, it has been announced that social care workers in Wales will have their SSP topped up to the level of their normal wages if they have coronavirus or are required to self-isolate. This scheme in Wales is due to run until 30 September 2021. For further information on this scheme in Wales, visit: gov.wales/covid-19-statutory-sick-pay-enhancement-scheme.

If you are not entitled to SSP you might be entitled to 'New-Style' Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) instead. This is a benefit for those who are unable to work due to health reasons and who have a sufficient NI contribution record. If so, this can be paid from day one of illness rather than day seven, which should be the case until 12 November 2021. For further information visit: gov.uk/employment-support-allowance.

If you are not entitled to SSP or ESA, or if you need additional help on top of one of these, you might be entitled to Universal Credit (UC) which is a means-tested benefit. If you claim UC you will have to sign something called a 'claimant commitment' which outlines what work related requirements you need to meet to be paid the full amount of UC. For further information visit: gov.uk/universal-credit. It is very important to note that if you (or your partner) are already getting any of the following benefits or tax credits: Housing Benefit, Income Support, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseekers Allowance, Working Tax Credits or Child Tax Credits, we would advise you not to claim UC and instead to speak with a benefits advisor to get a benefit check, to work out your best options financially. This is because if you claim UC, all of these benefits or tax credits that you (or your partner) get will stop, and you will not be able to re-claim them, which might make you worse off financially.

If you are on a low income, you might be entitled to Council Tax Reduction/Support, which is a means-tested scheme administered by local councils. For further information on your local scheme, visit your local council's website.

If you want to speak with a benefits advisor to get a benefit check you can contact the Fund on advice@rafbf.org.uk or 0800 169 2942. Alternatively, you can search for local organisations which offer benefits advice on this website: advicelocal.uk.

If you are already getting benefits, please see Question 3 below.

f you are a jobseeker you might be entitled to 'New-Style' Jobseekers Allowance (JSA). This is a benefit for those who are looking for work and who have a sufficient NI contribution record. For further information visit: gov.uk/jobseekers-allowance.

If you are not entitled to JSA, or if you need additional help on top of this, you might be entitled to Universal Credit (UC) which is a means-tested benefit. If you claim UC you will have to sign something called a 'claimant commitment' which outlines what work related requirements you need to meet to be paid the full amount of UC. For further information visit: gov.uk/universal-credit. It is very important to note that if you (or your partner) are already getting any of the following benefits or tax credits: Housing Benefit, Income Support, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseekers Allowance, Working Tax Credits or Child Tax Credits, we would advise you not to claim UC and instead to speak with a benefits advisor to get a benefit check, to work out your best options financially. This is because if you claim UC, all of these benefits or tax credits that you (or your partner) get will stop, and you will not be able to re-claim them, which might make you worse off financially.

If you are on a low income, you might be entitled to Council Tax Reduction/Support, which is a means-tested scheme administered by local councils. For further information on your local scheme, visit your local council's website.

If you want to speak with a benefits advisor to get a benefit check you can contact the Fund on advice@rafbf.org.uk or 0800 169 2942. Alternatively, you can search for local organisations which offer benefits advice on this website: advicelocal.uk. If you would like to use an online benefit calculator, we have a free one on our website (provided by the charity Turn 2 Us), which you can see here: rafbf.org/benefitscalculator.

If you are already getting benefits, please see Question 3 below.

If you are still employed but your employer can't keep paying you during this time, then your employer might have accessed the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which allows employers to put their employees 'on furlough'. This scheme has been extended until the end of September 2021. For further information visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-could-be-covered-by-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme

If you are self-employed and your income has been negatively impacted due to coronavirus, then you might have accessed the Self-employment Income Support Scheme. This scheme has been extended until the end of September 2021. For further information visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-could-be-covered-by-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme.

If you already get benefits or tax credits, you should let the relevant departments know if you have stopped working or if your income has changed.

The government announced that Working Tax Credits could continue for people who were temporarily working reduced hours because of coronavirus and for people who had been furloughed because of coronavirus, as long as they were still considered to be employed or self-employed. The government said this would be the case until the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme closes. In addition, if you are off work sick and claiming SSP, ESA or are self-employed and this is the reason you cannot claim either of these, you should continue to be treated as working your normal hours for Working Tax Credit Purposes for up to 28 weeks. 

If you are getting Universal Credit (UC), your benefit will be re-calculated if your income has dropped. In addition, the government has temporarily increased the UC standard allowance by £20 per week, which will be the case until the end of September 2021. Finally, if you are claiming UC and are self-employed, the 'Minimum Income Floor' requirements have been temporarily relaxed, until the end of July 2021, and while these requirements will be gradually reintroduced from August 2021 UC work coaches should have the discretion to not apply them on an individual basis if they consider that someone’s earnings continue to be affected by coronavirus.

If you want to speak with a benefits advisor to get a benefit check you can contact the Fund on advice@rafbf.org.uk or 0800 169 2942. Alternatively, you can search for local organisations which offer benefits advice on this website: advicelocal.uk.

If you have made a new claim for PIP, or another sickness or disability benefit (such as Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Attendance Allowance, ESA or UC in certain circumstances), face-to-face assessments were initially suspended until around the end of June 2020, and this suspension is still in place for many claims. What should happen instead, in a lot of cases, is that your claim will still be referred to an assessment provider, who should be in touch regarding your claim, and you will likely be asked to attend a telephone assessment instead.

Having said this, face-to-face assessments for PIP, ESA and UC in certain circumstances, did resume in May 2021, although this is initially for those who are unable to be assessed by other channels. If you are such a claimant, and are asked to attend a face-to-face assessment, you can see some guidance on attending safely here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/attending-a-face-to-face-health-assessment-during-covid-19/attending-your-face-to-face-health-assessment-for-a-work-capability-assessment-industrial-injuries-disablement-benefit-and-personal-independence-paym.

If you have made a new claim for PIP, or another sickness or disability benefit (such as Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Attendance Allowance, ESA or UC in certain circumstances), face-to-face assessments were initially suspended until around the end of June 2020, and this suspension is still in place for many claims. What should happen instead, in a lot of cases, is that your claim will still be referred to an assessment provider, who should be in touch regarding your claim, and you will likely be asked to attend a telephone assessment instead.

Having said this, face-to-face assessments for PIP, ESA and UC in certain circumstances, did resume in May 2021, although this is initially for those who are unable to be assessed by other channels. If you are such a claimant, and are asked to attend a face-to-face assessment, you can see some guidance on attending safely here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/attending-a-face-to-face-health-assessment-during-covid-19/attending-your-face-to-face-health-assessment-for-a-work-capability-assessment-industrial-injuries-disablement-benefit-and-personal-independence-paym.

If you have made a new claim for a War Pension or the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, face-to-face assessments were initially suspended until around the end of June 2020, and this suspension is still in place.

If you have claimed under the War Pension Scheme, what will likely happen is that you will be sent a self-assessment form to complete alongside a primary health care factual report form for your GP to complete.

If you have claimed under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, Veterans UK advise that a self-assessment form shouldn’t need to be completed, and instead: if you are still serving, the majority of your medical information is already held electronically and so this can be accessed; and if you have been discharged, your GP will likely be contacted.

The government announced two temporary measures to help those getting Carer's Allowance.

Firstly, if you get Carer's Allowance but cannot care for the person you normally look after because either one of you are affected by coronavirus (so if either of you have it, or are following guidance to self-isolate because of it), your entitlement to Carer's Allowance won't end. This should be the case until 31 August 2021.

Secondly, providing emotional support will count towards the 35 hours of care per week required to be entitled to Carer's Allowance.

In England if you've been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace because you have coronavirus or because you have been identified as a close contact of someone who has coronavirus, then if you meet the eligibility conditions, you might be entitled to a one off payment of £500 through the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme. Local authorities will be administering this scheme, so you should contact your local authority for further details. For further general information visit: gov.uk/government/publications/test-and-trace-support-payment-scheme-claiming-financial-support/claiming-financial-support-under-the-test-and-trace-support-payment-scheme.

The Scottish government has announced a similar £500 payment. For further information visit: gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-test-and-protect/pages/support-grants.

The Welsh government has announced a similar £500 payment. For further information, visit: gov.wales/self-isolation-support-scheme.

The NI government doesn't have a specific £500 payment, but has a self-isolation grant payable via the Discretionary Support scheme. For further information, visit: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/extra-financial-support#toc-3.

If you are worried about being able to pay your rent, you should make sure you are claiming all the benefits you are entitled to, as some can help with rent payments. There are some questions above which are about benefits.

If you still feel unable to pay your rent, you should speak to your landlord, to see if you can come to a manageable agreement.

If you have tried the above avenues, but are still in temporary financial distress, we might be able to offer some assistance. For further information visit: rafbf.org/get-support/who-we-help/request-help-now, or you can call 0300 102 1919.

For information on housing, including current eviction rules:

• In England, visit the Shelter website.
• In Wales, visit the Shelter Cymru Website
• In Scotland visit the Shelter Scotland website. 
• In Northern Ireland, visit the Housing Advice NI website.

If you need legal advice, we now offer access to such advice through a telephone helpline service called Law Express. Law Express would be able to advise on your rights and options. To use the service please contact 0300 222 5703 or legal.advice@rafbf.org.uk.

If you are in rent arrears, you can search for local organisations which offer debt advice on this website: advicelocal.uk. Alternatively, you could contact one of the national debt charities such as StepChange or National Debtline.

If you are worried about being able to pay your mortgage, you should make sure you are claiming all the benefits you are entitled to. There are some questions above which are about benefits.

If you still feel unable to pay your mortgage, you should speak to your mortgage lender, as your mortgage lender may be able to offer a payment holiday where this is needed due to coronavirus, or may be able to offer another way of helping if a mortgage holiday is not an option for you.

If you have tried the above avenues, but are still in temporary financial distress, we might be able to offer some assistance. For further information please visit: rafbf.org/get-support/who-we-help/request-help-now, or you can call 0300 012 1919.

If you need legal advice, we now offer access to such advice through a telephone helpline service called Law Express. Law Express would be able to advise on your rights and options. To use the service please contact 0300 222 5703 or legal.advice@rafbf.org.uk.

For online housing advice and guidance:

• In England, visit the Shelter website.
• In Wales visit the Shelter Cymru website.
• In Scotland, visit the Shelter Scotland website.
• In Northern Ireland, visit the Housing Advice NI website.

If you are in mortgage arrears, you can search for local organisations which offer debt advice on this website: advicelocal.uk. Alternatively, you could contact one of the national debt charities such as StepChange or National Debtline.

For information on the situation with schools:

In England, visit the government website.

In Wales, visit the Welsh government website.

In Scotland, visit the Parent Club website.

In NI, visit the NI government website.

With coronavirus dominating the news and social media, we might find that our mental health is affected.

For members of the RAF Family who are in need of some extra emotional support, our Listening and Counselling Service is open and providing counselling via telephone or video calling. For further information visit: rafbf.org/get-support/emotional-wellbeing/listening-and-counselling-service or email support@rafbf.org.uk. We also now provide access to a 24-hour emotional support helpline run in partnership with Vita Health. The helpline is run by trained counsellors, so even if you only have ten minutes, you can call and speak to someone who can support you at any time of the day or night. To find out more please call 0300 222 5703.

Those serving in the RAF, and their partners, can access a Headspace membership. Headspace is a meditation app which has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety and improve sleep.  To request a membership please visit: rafbf.org/headspace-request-form.

There are some websites which give useful information on looking after your mental wellbeing:

• The NHS website has a page on mental wellbeing, which gives tips such as staying connected with others, looking after your body and looking after your sleep. You can see this page here: nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips.
• The NHS website also has a page which gives tips on looking after yourself while staying at home. You can see this page here: nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-staying-at-home-tips.
• The mental health charity MIND has a page on mental wellbeing, which also gives tips on how to look after yourself. You can see this page here: mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing.

The websites on Question 11 touch on connecting with others, which can be a real help if you are feeling lonely or isolated.

RAF veterans might be interested in our telephone friendship groups, which connect members once a week over the telephone. For further information visit: rafbf.org/get-support/friendships-and-connections/telephone-friendship-groups.

We may be able to provide temporary financial assistance, please take a look at our website for further information, please visit: rafbf.org/get-support/who-we-help/request-help-now, you can also call 0300 012 1919.

We cannot provide medical advice and guidance, but please visit the following website for the latest NHS advice and guidance: nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19.

We hope that you have found this information helpful. For the most up to date information on all areas/issues related to coronavirus, visit the following websites:

• If you live in England: gov.uk/coronavirus.
• If you live in Wales: gov.wales/coronavirus.
• If you live in Scotland: gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19.
• If you live in Northern Ireland: nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/coronavirus-covid-19.