State benefits

If you are not moving straight into work when you finish your studies then you may need to apply for benefits while you think through your options and next steps. Graduates may start claiming state benefits after they finish their final term of study in their final year.

Some of the main benefits are listed below:

Universal Credit (UC) - can be claimed by those on low income or out of work.
Child Benefit - if you’re responsible for one or more children under 16 (or under 20 if they stay in approved education or training).
Tax credits - HMRC looks at your income from the previous tax year how many hours you work and whether you’re part of a couple.

Full information on state benefits can be found on the gov.uk website.

Your local welfare rights unit or Citizens Advice office should be able to give you information about any benefits you may be entitled to receive.

The Southampton City Council welfare rights and money advice service can help with a range of issues and can be contacted at welfarerights.advice@southampton.gov.uk
Information on a range of benefits and tax credits can be found on the Citizens Advice website or the Gov.uk website.

Financial help if you’re disabled

There is a wide range of disability-related financial support, including benefits, tax credits, payments, grants and concessions.

The main disability and sickness benefits are:

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Attendance Allowance
Employment and Support Allowance.

More information is available here.

Useful information to know if you’re disabled

The Equality Act 2010 protects employees from disability-related discrimination, harassment and victimisation. It also restricts the circumstances in which employers can ask job applicants questions about disability or health.

The law aims to protect a person with a disability from being discriminated against in the selection process. At the same time it aims to protect and provide reasonable assistance to those who choose to disclose.

Disclosure

Once a disability has been disclosed, it should be kept confidential by the employer unless the employee has made it clear they are happy for the information to be shared or unless the disability is obvious.
You must disclose a disability or health condition when it might pose a risk at work to yourself or others.
You may also need to disclose if you require reasonable adjustments. Employers can’t be held liable for not making reasonable adjustments if the candidate/employee doesn’t disclose their disability.
Timing of disclosure is important. Disclosing a disability prior to interview stage can be useful information for the interview itself. Disabilities can be disclosed at job offer stage too so employers can consider reasonable adjustments. However, disclosing a disability once in the post can be too late. If you were to suffer discrimination at this stage, you may not have a legal case as your employed can rightly claim they were not informed of your disability.

Reasonable adjustments
Reasonable adjustments are changes to the work environment that allow people with disabilities to work safely and productively.

Employers must make reasonable adjustments to make sure workers with disabilities, or physical or mental health conditions, aren’t substantially disadvantaged when doing their jobs. A few examples of reasonable adjustments can be having access to assistive technology, physical adaptations to the working area, adjusting working patterns or adjusting the premises. These can be discussed and agreed directly with your employer. Some of these adjustments can costs (although some are free) but they are a worthwhile investment as it will mean the employee requiring the adjustment will be more proficient.

Law forbids employers from making disabled workers pay for any reasonable adjustments. The employer may be able to use an existing equipment or training budget. In any event the returns made by increasing productivity and reducing days lost to sickness often far exceed the initial costs incurred.

Access to Work scheme
If the help you need at work is not covered by your employer making reasonable adjustments, you may be able to get help from Access to Work.

You should talk to your employer about reasonable adjustments before you apply for Access to Work. Find out more about the scheme here.

Looking for work if you’re disabled

When you’re looking for work, look on adverts and application forms for the Disability Confident symbol.

This symbol means:

The employer is committed to employing disabled people.
You’ll be guaranteed an interview if you meet the basic conditions for the job

Find out about jobs in your area at your local Jobcentre.

Mental health support services

Transitioning from student life to the world of work can be challenging. This short YouTube video discusses some of the issues graduates have encountered.

If you’re experiencing mental health problems or need support, there are many places you can go to for help:

The Samaritans
Telephone: 116 123 (24 hours a day, free to call)

Email: jo@samaritans.org Has an aim of a 24 hour response for emails.

Website: www.samaritans.org

The Samaritans provides confidential, non-judgmental emotional support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those that could lead to suicide. You can phone, email, write a letter or in most cases talk to someone face to face.

Mind Infoline
Telephone: 0300 123 3393 (9am-6pm Monday to Friday)

Email: info@mind.org.uk

Web site: www.mind.org.uk/help/advice_lines

Mind provides confidential mental health information services. Mind enables people to make informed choices. The Infoline gives information on types of mental distress, where to get help, drug treatments, alternative therapies and advocacy. Mind has around 140 local Minds providing local mental health services.

The Mix
Telephone: 0808 808 4994 (3pm to 12am every day, free to call)

Website: www.themix.org.uk/get-support

Crisis Text Helpline: Text THEMIX to 85258

The Mix provides judgement-free information and support to young people aged 13-25 on a range of issues including mental health problems. Young people can access the The Mix’s support via phone, peer to peer and counselling services.

Rethink Mental Illness Advice Line
Telephone: 0300 5000 927 (1pm to 4pm Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays))

Email: info@rethink.org and may have a 3 day response rate

Website: https://bit.ly/2vQA3to

This advice line provides expert advice and information to people with mental health problems and those who care for them, as well as giving help to health professionals, employers and staff. Rethink also runs Rethink services and groups across England and Northern Ireland.

Papyrus – Suicide Prevention Helpline

Telephone: 0800 0684141 (9am to midnight every day)

Website: https://www.papyrus-uk.org/

Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org

Self help
The NHS has produced a series of self help guides which cover a range of mental health issues.

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, and following the UK Government’s latest advice, Solent has been continuing its preparations for the next stage of our response.