August 2007
National Postal Dispute Benefit Payment AdviceThe Social Security Agency has advised customers affected by the recent national postal dispute that postal delivery of benefit cheques will resume from Wednesday 15 August 2007.
Normal postal delivery of benefit cheques will commence for payments due from and including Wednesday 15 August 2007.
Meanwhile, people due to receive payment on Monday 13 or Tuesday 14 August should continue to collect their payment from their nearest Post Office.
Most of the Agency’s customers were unaffected by the recent disruption to postal services as 96% of benefits are paid directly into bank or post office accounts.
Customers whose benefit is paid directly in to their bank or Post Office card account are unaffected by the current national postal dispute and will continue to receive their payments as normal.
Special arrangements are being made for customers who would normally expect to receive their benefit payment by cheque through the post on or after Wednesday 1 August 2007 and until further notice to ensure that they receive their payment on time.
All such customers are advised that they should collect their cheque payment direct from the nearest Post Office to which they live. This may not necessarily be the Post Office they normally use. Anyone who is unsure of their nearest Post Office should telephone their local Jobs & Benefits/Social Security Office for further advice.
When customers collect their cheque from the Post Office, they should ensure they have proof of identity. The proof of identity customers use when they cash their cheque can be used when they collect it.
The Social Security Agency will issue further advice should there be any change in these arrangements.
Modernisation Fund Capital Programme
Information SessionsThe Department for Social Development (DSD) is holding information sessions for organisations interested in applying for the £15m Modernisation Fund Capital Programme.
The Fund aims to help the voluntary & community sector to modernise and prepare itself for the future.
Information Sessions -Applications:
Monday 13 August 10.00am Holiday Inn Hotel, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast
Monday 13 August 2.00pm Canal Court Hotel, Newry
For further details on any information sessions, contact:
DSD Voluntary and Community Unit
Tel: 028 90829440 or email:
Relocation of Newtownards Social Security Office and JobCentreUnder the Government’s Welfare Reform and Modernisation Programme, the Social Security Agency and Department for Employment and Learning are jointly running a project (Jobs & Benefits) to improve the service offered to customers of working age. The project co-locates the Social Security office and JobCentre on a single site, integrating services around the customer and focusing on their welfare and labour market needs.
To date 25 offices have been co-located and a procurement exercise is presently underway to identify appropriate sites and developers for the final 10 Jobs & Benefits offices. As a result of this exercise a new proposed site for the Newtownards Jobs & Benefits office is being considered.
The new site under consideration is situated within the Castlebawn estate.
Under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, Departments in carrying out their functions must have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity in relation to religion and political opinion, gender, race, disability, age, marital status, dependants and sexual orientation.
The public are invited to consider the new proposed site in relation to above legislation and submit any comments to:
John McCool,
Jobs & Benefits Project,
39 Corporation Street,
Belfast,
BT1 3BA
Tel: 028 9037 6177
Deadline for submission of comments is Friday 28th September 2007.
SS Nomadic Charitable Trustinvites applications for the following service: Fundraising Consultant - Contract funded up to two years initially. Requests for tender documents should be forwarded in writing by email or fax to the address below:
Chairman,
SS Nomadic Charitable Trust,
McKelvey House,
25 Wellington Place,
Belfast
BT1 6GD.
Completed tenders must be received by 31 August 2007 by 3pm.
Late applications will not be accepted.
SS Nomadic Charitable Trust does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any tender in respect of this competition.
To Let - 25 Cherry Valley, EnniskillenModern 3 Bedroom semi-detached chalet located in Cherry Valley, Enniskillen.
Prime residential area close to town centre and to all facilities.
Contains living room, dining room, kitchen, utility room, wc, 3 bedrooms and bathroom. Double glazing, oil fired central heating, detached garage, mature gardens at front and rear and in good decorative order.
For tender forms and further information please contact Lands Service on 02890 819878.
Department for Social Development
Social Security Agency, Medical Support Services
Registered Medical PractitionersRequiredApplications are invited from medical practitioners for inclusion on a list of doctors to provide a service to the Social Security Agency throughout Northern Ireland.
The responsibilities are to:
- Carry out medical assessments on claimants to Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Attendance Allowance (AA) and Incapacity Benefit (IB).
- Complete medical reports for consideration by the Agency’s Decision Makers.
Applicants should be prepared to travel throughout Northern Ireland and
- Be Medical Practioners who are currently registered to practice in the United Kingdom.
- Have at least 3 years post-registration full-time equivalent experience (within the last 6 years) gained by 31st July 2007 across a range of relevant clinical disciplines.
- Hold full registration with the UK General Medical Council.
Applicants must be able to demonstrate they meet the following criteria:
- Good communication skills
- An understanding of customer care issues
- An understanding of disability issues.
Doctors will normally be removed from the list at the age of 70, and applicants over 69 years will therefore not be considered.
Training for DLA/AA is normally 3 days and 4.5 days for IB.
Training, held in Belfast in week commencing 15th October 2007, will be paid at the sessional rate (see below).
DLA/AA assessments, payable at £62 per examination plus travelling expenses, mainly take place in the claimants own homes. IB assessments of 3.5 hour sessions, payable at £142 per session, are normally carried out in our 11 examination centres throughout Northern Ireland (some occasional home visits are required). The work affords a high degree of flexibility and may be combined with other commitments.
Further details and application forms are available from
Frances Lynch (02890 542133)
Medical Support Services,
Royston House,
Upper Queen Street,
Belfast,
BT1 6FX.
The closing date for the receipt of completed application forms is 14th September 2007.
Belfast Regeneration Office
Development Opportunities at Ballysillan Park and Carr’s Glen Park, BelfastThe Department for Social Development invites proposals from interested parties for the development of four sites at Ballysillan Park and Carr’s Glen Park, Belfast.
The Department considers these sites to have prominent locations on the frontage of Ballysillan Park and Carr’s Glen Park and proposals for its redevelopment should suitably reflect this.
The Department would seek developments of high quality private residential housing on its lands.
A detailed brief for the sites has been prepared and bona fide developers may obtain a copy from
Physical DevelopmentBranch,
Belfast Regeneration Office,
3rd Floor
James House,
2-4 Cromac Avenue,
Gasworks Business Park,
Ormeau Road,
Belfast,
BT7 2JA,
Telephone number (028) 90 819757.
Developers wishing to lodge proposals with the Department in respect of this development site must do so by
5 p.m. on Thursday 20th September 2007
The Department does not bind itself to accept any proposals submitted.
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