ecdp extra Spring 2015

Contents

Welcome from Mike Adams OBE, CEO of ecdp

ecdp news

Public transport postcard

Chelmsford City Football Club in the communtiy

Partnerships in action

Irene’s story

Technology in 2015

Care Act 2015

Important employer update

ecdp quarterly quiz

Welcome from Mike Adams

I’d like to say a huge welcome to everyone for this first edition of ecdp extra in 2015.

We’ve had an amazing start to the year with two awards one national, and one from Essex Police, for our ecdp Works disability employment programme. Thanks to all of the staff and participants involved for their hard work and commitment.

This edition we’re focusing on new legistaion that has come into effect with the Care Act and the Employment Allowance. Make sure you are up-to-date with these so that you can make the right decisions for the year ahead.

There is so much to look forward to this year and may be change is in the air with the upcoming elections in May. Remember all of our news and events can be found on our website www.ecdp.org.uk.

Mike Adams OBE, CEO of ecdp

ecdp news

ecdp Works Cycle 6 begins

We’re delighted to announce that Cycle 6 of ecdp Works is underway. The participants are all currently in their work placements after their initial training here at ecdp HQ.

We’ll be keeping up with their journeys on the programme and will have exclusive stories to share with you. Visit the ecdp Works blog page to find out more www.ecdp.org.uk/ecdpworksblogMaggie Lovelock retiring from ecdp

Maggie will be leaving ecdp at the end of April after working with us for 2 and a half years.

Christine Stainsbury has joined ecdp as the new Payroll Manager and brings a wealth of experience to the role.

We’d like to say a huge thank you to Maggie for all of her hard work over the years and wish her all the best in the future - now put your feet up!

ecdp trial Barclays bPay bands

ecdp has been selected by Barclays to trial a new method of contactless payment, bPay wrist bands. Barclays believe that the product has great potential opportunities for people with disabilities or accessibility needs, and want to get feedback before they are fully launched.

What is bPay?It is a pre-paid account that links to a bPay band.Simply add money from any Visa or MasterCard® debit or credit card onto the bPay band.Then make fast, secure contactless payments of up to £20 wherever you see the contactless symbol.

Touch and go with bPayThe bands can be used anywhere which takes contactless cards.There is no need to delve in your bag for your cash or card, the aim is to just tap your wrist and go!

ecdp will trial the bPay bands and will keep you informed on how we get on.

Public transport postcard

In January 2015 ecdp Navigator Carina Fordham travelled to London, she writes her experience for all to share...

When taking a trip into London by using public transport as a wheelchair user, I have had far too many negative experiences. From being left on trains to being refused a taxi, just the thought of taking a daytrip to our capital city brings on a headache.

However, I am pleased to announce that on Saturday 10 January, I successfully negotiated public transport and got to and from my destination in the borough of Westminster, flawlessly! Hoorah! Although I shouldn’t take all the responsibility for this success, as many companies and individuals took a share of the responsibility for influencing the outcomes of my journey. For example, the train company managed to communicate to platform staff of my whereabouts and need for assistance to get on and off the train by using ramps. Usually, the point when I need to get off the train is the most likely event to go wrong, as the system that is currently in place to book ramps, seems to operate unreliably. Now onto the taxis, I had very friendly and accommodating taxi drivers to and from the station, which again, isn’t always the case. I am so thrilled that I have finally had this positive experience and I hope that many other disabled people have similar stories to tell.

You shouldn’t have to work so hard to access public transport but these following tips come from my own experiences of trying to take control of a potentially hopeless situation.

Always book ramps. It doesn’t matter if you don’t feel you need them because are travelling with someone, it is important station staff know that you are a customer who potentially requires assistance. If anything was to go wrong i.e. you couldn’t get off at your stop, you would have ammunition to ask for alternative arrangements.

Try to encourage platform staff to alert the train driver where you are getting off. If you are getting a taxi in London, it’s easier go to a taxi rank to get one, or if you can’t, it can be helpful to ask someone to flag down a passing taxi for you.

Chelmsford City Football Club Football in the Community

Chris Finch, Chelmsford City FC Community Officer tells ecdp all about the programme they run in Chelmsford...

Chelmsford City FC has been running a community programme for around 17 years now and has steadily built up the amount of work that it does in and around the Chelmsford area.

Their disability football programme takes them into local schools to run sessions for children with special educational needs. These schools include Columbus School, Columbus College and Thriftwood School. They also run a football session on Tuesday evenings for adults aged 16+ with of all kinds disabilities.

The experience and knowledge gained from this has led to a philosophy that sees the programme not just focusing on the football or the disability, but also boosting self-esteem and confidence, and adapting technique if necessary so that they can work on ability rather than disability.

Chris says:‘I personally have completed a quite extensive residential course to coach blind and partially sighted footballers plus level 1 British Sign Language and FA coaching for disabled footballers. I have vast experience coaching footballers of all ages and both sexes with wide ranging disabilities.’

‘The future will see us growing our involvement in disability football even further, and we hope to build a strong partnership with ecdp that will help benefit people with disabilities.’

Partnerships in action...

At the end of 2014 we held an event with local businesses in Essex, to showcase the huge impact employing disabled people can make an organisation...

We asked all of our visitors this question -

What was the one point that has stuck with you and you will take away from the event today?

‘It’s not about disability but ability’Rachel Evans, Essex Police

‘Very impressed with the powerful stories of partnerships and look forward to exploring these’Adam Jones, E2V

‘Disabled people need to be treated as a consumer group in their own right’Jenny Pescot, PCG Services

‘We need to get as many policy makers out to talk to people with lived experience of disability’Pat Russell, Head of Disability Issues

‘Let’s make 2015 the year of partnerships’Martin Cresswell, North East Partnerships Foundation Trust

‘Disability confidence, be aware, go get it and spread the word’Jason Falkingham, Barclays Corporate Essex

Irene’s story

ecdp Support Services offer a unique service to allow people to take control of their own care. They listen, advise and help to write a care plan to suit each individual, as Irene Youngman and her family found out...

Background

Irene Youngman is in her nineties and her daughter-in-law Anne has Power of Attorney over her affairs. Anne oversees and organises Irene’s care package for her.

Irene has lived in the same house in Colchester for nearly 60 years and it is essential that she remains there. Irene’s twin sister Doris now also lives with her as well as their live in carer Sandra. Life before the Support Plan

In January 2014 Irene and Doris were both assessed by Essex County Council and given Direct Payments. Before then the ladies self-funded their social care package.

The initial package was working well, however at the 12 week review the key worker questioned the level of need, which the family strongly disagreed with.

With the family unhappy with the potential decrease in level of funding, the key worker suggested asking ecdp to be involved so that the family had the opportunity to have independent support.

Independent support from ecdp was then offered, aiming to put a support plan together that would suit both parties, detailing the level of support Irene requires and why.

Irene says: ‘I found Elisabeth understanding and easy to talk to, as well as professional’

Independent Peer Support Planning

Elisabeth from ecdp went to visit Irene and Anne, spending the afternoon getting to know them as a family. Irene’s opinions, feelings and wishes were all listened to and taken into account when the support plan was being created.

Her expectations were heard and managed according to the expert knowledge applied by Elisabeth.

All ecdp Support Planners have extensive experience creating support plans that meet the critical and substantial needs of the client.

Conclusion

After a situation that was at standstill, edcp were able to produce a detailed support plan that was approved by Essex County Council and resolved the issues between both parties.

Having the time to spend with the family to carefully listen to their needs, whilst managing their expectations, was crucial in producing a Support Plan that worked for the family.

The key worker involved in the case is now going to ‘refer to ecdp to ensure both plans are accurate’ for future cases where conflict arises. This saves time, expense and worry for both parties.

Technology in 2015

ecdp has done some research and brings you the latest disability apps that are designed to make your life easier, here are the top five we’ve selected...

1. TapToTalk - FreeOne of the greatest apps for people with disabilities is the TapToTalk app, which allows users to do just that: tap on the screen to ‘talk.’ This app turns the device into an AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) device, by allowing the user to click on words or symbols to verbally communicate with others. This app is especially

helpful for people with autism or cerebral palsy, as well as any speech-preventing condition, as it moves away from the necessity of sign language towards a more 21st century approach to dealing with disabilities.

2. Learn Braille Alphabet - FreeLearning the braille alphabet can be tricky, but through the use of this iPhone and iPad app, you can make it an enjoyable task. There are games which help to reinforce braille, and a basic interface which explains clearly the different braille symbols. If you are a beginner at learning the braille alphabet this is a great app for you.

3. SoundAMP Lite - £3.99SoundAMP Lite is an app for people with hearing impairments that really does enhance lives. All the user has to do is plug in their headphones, load the app and then adjust the volume accordingly: if you have trouble blocking out other noises in lecture theatres or at a music concert, you can utilise the app to make your experience much more enjoyable. This is one of the best free apps for people with disabilities, so if you struggle with hearing it’s very much worth downloading.

4. Alzheimer’s Cards - £1.49One of the most debilitating afflictions in the world is Alzheimer’s disease, due to the slow effect it has on sufferers. This is an app to help with the disability as much as possible, through stimulating conversation and memories based on the images that are shown on the app. This app is really for the loved ones of sufferers, who want to remember the mother or father that they used to love. Through the use of this app, which is based on real life studies, you can try to help the sufferer remember as much as possible.

5. Emergency Information - £0.79If you want to make sure that your loved ones are safe, this is a very

useful app for people with a disability. If the person has an iOS device, such as an iPhone or iPod Touch, you can download the My Emergency Info app to provide anyone who may come across them with all the necessary information needed to get in contact with you or their doctor. The app also holds vital medical information such as allergies and medications.

The Care Act has arrived

On 1 April 2015, a new piece of legislation called The Care Act 2014 came into force, William Snagge from ecdp reports...

This new law has been designed to build on recent government reviews and reforms. It replaces a number of previous laws, and is designed to provide a much clearer approach to adult social care.

The new Act is supported by statutory guidance, which explains to people responsible for implementation how it should be interpreted. The Act and its guidance bring together and modernise the framework of care and create a legal framework governing the new duties of local authorities and their partner organisations, and new rights for service users and carers.

So what will the Act do?

The vision of politicians and civil servants who helped to write the legislation, and groups like ecdp, locally and nationally that contributed to consultation, is that it should provide clearer information and a fairer system for those needing care, and also provide better support for carers.

The Care Act places a new emphasis on Wellbeing. The Care and Support Statutory Guidance on Care Act says that Local authorities must promote Wellbeing when carrying out any of their care and support functions in respect of a person.

The Care and Support Statutory Guidance defines Wellbeing as a ‘broad concept’, described as relating to the following areas in particular:

Personal dignity (including treatment of the individual with respect) Physical and mental health and emotional Wellbeing Protection from abuse and neglect Control by the individual over day-to-day life (including over care and support provided and the way it is provided) Participation in work, education, training or recreation Social and economic wellbeing Domestic, family and personal Relationships Suitability of living accommodation The individual’s contribution to society

Care Act also addresses Prevention. This means that local authorities, and their partners in health, housing, welfare and employment services, must now take steps to prevent, reduce or delay the need for care and support for all local people.The Act also promotes the concept of Integration, or bringing services and support together in a more effective way. This makes it necessary for local authorities to collaborate, cooperate and integrate with other public authorities. For example the NHS working in tandem with those

responsible for local housing. The Act also says that young people moving to adult social care services support must now experience a seamless transition.

Speaking of the Care Act, Care Minister Norman Lamb said‘Until now it has been almost impossible for people who need care, carers, and even those who manage the care system, to understand how the previous law affecting them worked. Over nearly 70 years it has been added to again and again and is out of date and confusing. The Care Act has created a single, modern law that makes it clear what kind of care people should expect’.

What else does Care Act do?

Information, advice and advocacy.The Act places a duty on local authorities to ensure that information and advice on care and support is available to all as and when they need it. Independent advocacy must also be arranged if a person would otherwise be unable to participate in, or understand, the care and support system. In Essex, a new website at www.livingwellessex.org has been created to help people access good quality information, or find out where to get it. ecdp staff and volunteers have helped design the site.

ecdp are also ensuring that help and support is available to people who do not use the internet. Currently Essex County Council Customer Service Centre can also provide information on 0845 603 7630 or text phone 0845 758 5592 - both are open 08:30 to 17:00 Monday to Friday.

What next?

ecdp is committed to ensuring the voice of disabled people in Essex is reflected in the new systems, structures and support that Care Act is driving. However, this remains work in progress. If you have a particular experience of perspective in relation to Care Act, that you would like ecdp to reflect in its Care Act related work going

forward, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me directly on 01245 214021 or wsnagge@ecdp.org.uk

Important employer update

The Employment Allowance has now extended to personal carers.

Employers who employ carers directly using payroll will be entitled to deduct up to £2000 from their employer National Insurance contributions with effect from 6th April 2015.

You won’t pay any employers’ National Insurance if your bill is less than £2,000 a year.

ecdp will apply this change to your payroll automatically and you do not need to do anything.

For employers making their own payments to HMRC, the figures provided by ecdp will include any reduction due.

HMRC Fines and Notices

As you are aware HMRC have introduced fines for late reporting of payroll information.

From February 2015 ecdp will not receive a copy of any fine notices you receive so you must ensure that you contact us as soon as you can if you receive a letter like this.

Please remember ecdp can only interact with HMRC if you have registered us as your agent. If you have not please call the number below to complete an agent authorisation form.

It is very important that you keep us informed when you are not making payments to carers so that we can submit the correct information to HMRC and prevent you receiving penalty notices.

If you have stopped employing carers you must tell us straight away.

Please remember we will not process late timesheets to avoid incurring penalty fines for employers, so it is very important that you know when information has to be received at ecdp so that your carers are paid on time.

Information on payment dates and timesheet deadline dates are regularly issued to employers and are available on our website.

It is your responsibility as an employer to tell us when:

Employees leave your employmentWhen they change their addressWhen they change their hoursWhen you stop using the payroll service

This helps us to ensure that you only have the correct information on your payroll records and HMRC are aware of any changes.

Providing a pension scheme for your employees. Automatic enrolment: what you need to know

You will probably have heard by now about auto enrolment.

All employers (including carers or PAs) who have employees aged between 16 and 74 will have to set up a pension scheme, automatically enrol employees into it and make pension deductions from their pay.

Any employee who earns between £111 per week and £805.10 per week has to be auto enrolled. Any employee who earns less than this can ask to join a scheme and you must provide one.All employers have a staging date by which they must have a pension scheme in place. For most small employers this will be in 2017, but if you have been registered with HMRC for a long time, this could be as early as 2015/2016.

You need to source a pension scheme and then let your employees know when they will be automatically joined and how to opt out if they wish to.Some employers have already been contacted by the Pension Regulator where their staging date is within the next 12 months.

Initially all that is required is for you to give details of the person who will receive further information on your behalf in the coming months regarding setting up a pension scheme.

This may be a relative or representative who deals with your affairs.

If you would like to know your staging date you can find this information on the Pension Regulator’s website www.tpr.gov.uk using your tax reference number.

If you need further information you can call the payroll help line on 01245 214016 or email paypass@ecdp.org.uk

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ecdp is a Company Limited by Guarantee Registration Number 4217686 (England & Wales) as Essex Coalition of Disabled People and a Registered Charity Number 1091293