Frequently Asked Questions – Fact Sheet

31/03/2020

1. What should I be doing regarding Coronavirus?
2. I need help with food or medication what do I do?
3. I can’t go out to top up my pre-payment meter, what do I do?
4. How do I pay my rent if I can’t go out?
5. I’m struggling to pay my rent, will I get a ‘rent break’?
6. How do I claim Universal Credit?
7. I receive Housing Benefit what do I do if I have a change in my income or other circumstances?
8. I receive Universal Credit what do I do if I have a change in my income or other circumstances?
9. What if Housing Benefit or Universal Credit doesn’t fully cover my rent?
10. I have a Gas safety or Electrical safety check appointment booked, what do I do?
11. I’m having problems with my neighbour what do I do?
12. I’m struggling with my mental health, what help is there?

 

  1. What should I be doing regarding Coronavirus?

Visit gov.uk for the current guideance

 2. I need help with food or medication what do I do?

Each local authority has a dedicated page where you can find information about services operating near you.

Exeter Residents:

https://exeter.gov.uk/clean-safe-city/community-safety/coronavirus/

Exeter – Community support

01392 265000

Teignbridge  Residents:

https://www.teignbridge.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-help-and-advice/coronavirus-updates/

Mid Devon Residents: 

https://www.middevon.gov.uk/residents/coronavirus-covid-19-service-updates/

Mid Devon Council – Community Support

https://www.middevon.gov.uk/residents/coronavirus-covid-19-service-updates/community-support-across-mid-devon/

East Devon Residents: 

https://eastdevon.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19/

East Devon – Community Support page

https://eastdevon.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19/community-and-volunteer-information/community-contacts-in-east-devon/

You may also be able to find community groups helping here – https://covidmutualaid.org/local-groups/

3. I can’t go out to top up my pre-payment meter, what do I do?

Tell your supplier if you can’t get to a shop to top up because you’re ill with coronavirus or following guidance to ‘self-isolate’. You’ll find their contact details on their website or on your bill.

They’ll try to help you find other ways to keep your energy supply connected. For example:

• let someone else top up for you
• add funds to your account
• send you a pre-loaded top-up card

You’ll need to pay back any credit your supplier gives you – ask them when and how you’ll need to do this.

If your meter is outside and it’s safe for you to get to it, it’s a good idea to leave it unlocked. This means someone else could top it up for you.

4. How do I pay my rent if I can’t go out?

Direct Debit

You will need a bank account which allows this,

To set one up call us 01392 273462 Option 2 or 8 will help you set a weekly, fortnightly or monthly direct debit to cover your rent.

This is our preferred option.

On line Banking

Cornerstone Housing

Acc 20353434

Sort Code: 20-30.54

Ref: (your tenant reference number please use it so we can post your payment to your account, call us if you’re not sure what this is).

Standing Orders

You can always call your bank and set up a standing order but you WILL need your reference number so your payment reaches your rent account.

However if you set one up these must be set for a payment date of not more than the 26^th of each month so payment reaches your account on time .

Payment Card

We can order you a payment card and you can use this in a number of ways

Using your swipe card

log on to All pay or go through our website

https://www.allpayments.net/Allpayments/Signin.aspxor

https://www.cornerstonehousing.net/rent-money/pay-rent/

Post office

Currently the post offices are still open, you could ask a friend or family member to do this for you if they are able to.

If you’re on Housing Benefit and its being paid to you

You can request that Housing Benefit at the Council pay Cornerstone direct this means they will pay your rent to us electronically and means you do not have to worry about it. If you want them to do this you will need to call them on 01392 277888 – ask for Housing Benefit.

However if you only get some of your rent covered by Housing Benefit you will need to pay the shortfall – perhaps through direct debit.

5. I’m struggling to pay my rent, will I get a ‘rent break’?

We appreciate this is a difficult time for all but you will not get a rent break as there is financial support available to help you.

You can get rent help through Housing Benefit or Universal Credit, we will not take Court action for the next 3 months as per the Governments request, and will work with you to understand your individual circumstances and potential delays in benefits. However, we will still be following our arrears procedure and this can include issuing notices for non payment of rent.

We encourage you to apply for benefits as soon as possible, if you need them. If you are getting any Housing Benefit or Universal Credit you may be able to apply for a DHP (discretionary housing payment) through your local council but you will need to be claiming benefits to get one.

If you are self-employed and have suffered a loss in income, a taxable grant will be paid to the self-employed or partnerships, worth 80% of your profits up to a cap of £2,500 per month.

Initially, this will be available for three months in one lump-sum payment, and will start to be paid from the beginning of June.

It will be called the Coronavirus Self-employment Income Support Scheme, and is open to those who were trading in the last financial year, still trading now, and planning to continue doing so this year.  More than half of your income needs to come from self-employment.

The scheme will be open to those with a trading profit of less than £50,000 in 2018-19, or an average trading profit of less than £50,000 from 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2017-18.

For more information go to the DWP website.

6. How do I claim Universal Credit?

You can find out a great deal of information on universal credit and what it means to you.

Claims are on-line – https://www.gov.uk/apply-universal-credit

Universal Credit helpline – 0800 328 5644

www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/coronavirus

7. I receive Housing Benefit what do I do if I have a change in my income or other circumstances?

If your circumstances have changed please contact the local authority immediately.

Exeter Area
https://exeter.gov.uk/benefits-and-welfare/already-made-a-benefit-claim/have-your-circumstances-changed/if-the-the-money-you-have-coming-in-changes/.

Teignbridge Area
https://www.teignbridge.gov.uk/benefits-and-support/about-benefits/information-about-housing-benefit-and-council-tax-support/changes-you-must-tell-us-straight-away/

East Devon Area
https://eastdevon.gov.uk/benefits-and-support/housing-benefit/change-in-circumstances-housing-benefit/

Mid Devon Area
https://www.middevon.gov.uk/residents/benefits/change-of-circumstances/

 8. I receive Universal Credit what do I do if I have a change in my income or other circumstances?

You should contact the DWP by logging in to your Universal Credit Journal and reporting a change. https://www.gov.uk/sign-in-universal-credit

9.  What if Housing Benefit or Universal Credit doesn’t fully cover my rent?

If Housing Benefit or Universal Credit Housing Costs does not fully cover your rent you will have a shortfall. If this is the case, you may wish to apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP).

The government has given local authorities a limited amount of money to assist those that need extra help with housing costs. Discretionary Housing Payments are not payments of benefit; they are separate payments, to be made at the local authority’s discretion, if they believe you need extra financial support.

DHP’s can be awarded to cover all or part of a shortfall or assist with the cost of taking up a tenancy. As well as helping with rent shortfalls, DHP can be considered for rent deposits, rent in advance, other lump sum costs associated with a housing need.

Exeter Area

https://exeter.gov.uk/benefits-and-welfare/how-to-claim-benefits/what-you-need-to-know-about-benefits/benefit-support-available/

Teignbridge Area

https://www.teignbridge.gov.uk/benefits-and-support/apply-for-benefit/discretionary-housing-payments-dhp/

East Devon Area

https://eastdevon.gov.uk/housing-and-homelessness/paying-your-rent-and-other-charges/housing-and-other-benefits/

Mid Devon Area

https://www.middevon.gov.uk/residents/benefits/housing-benefit/discretionary-housing-payments/

10. I have a Gas safety or Electrical safety check appointment booked, what do I do?

Cornerstone has been seeking guidance from many different organisations on this including; The Regulator of Social Housing (Government body), The HSE (Health and safety executive), Gas safe and NICEIC (Electrical body).

The guidance to date is that we must try to maintain these safety checks as they are required by Law. Whilst the Government is advising people to stay at home they are also advising that emergency and health and safety works must continue to ensure people remain safe in their homes. We must keep our staff and customers and the public safe, which is why we must continue to complete these checks.

Cornerstone has been working really hard to provide all frontline staff with the correct PPE (personal protective equipment) and sanitising solution to clean down work spaces they have worked. We have also sent home any employee feeling unwell or showing potential symptoms of Covid-19.

We have a range of protective equipment including disposable masks, gloves and overalls. We also have fitted half face respirators for our operatives that may need to go into a property where people may have symptoms or are self-isolating. This will be completed using a full risk assessment and method statement on a case by case basis.

How can I help? You can help by continuing to provide access to our operatives when required. You can also think about how you can reduce any risk to yourself by keep out of the way or in another room when our operative’s visit your home.

You must also let us know if you are ill or self-isolating so we can ensure we have the correct safety equipment when we visit, but we will still need to complete the checks. Please don’t be alarmed if one of our operatives completes the work wearing full protective PPE this is simply precautionary and to keep everyone safe.

Finally if you simply want to discuss the visit beforehand for some reassurance please contact our repairs team. We may also contact you ahead of any planned visit in case we are in the area and it is convenient for us to do the check early under the MOT style servicing method.

11. I’m having problems with my neighbour what do I do?

These are difficult times, people are spending a lot more time at home and some are understandably anxious this is why we would hope that you can be both mindful and tolerant of each other at this time.  However, if you are experiencing significant anti-social behaviour which is affecting you we are still here to listen. Because of the restrictions in place at the moment we will not be able to visit or discuss things in person but we will explain what we can do and what we can’t. Click here for more information on anti-social behaviour, what it is and what it isn’t, and to report it via our online form.

12. I’m struggling with my mental health, what help is there?

Every Mind Matters has lots of useful advice about dealing with self-isolation and dealing with anxiety – https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/

The Silver Line is the only free confidential helpline providing information, friendship and advice to older people, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

Silverline – 0800 4 70 80 90 / https://www.thesilverline.org.uk/

Age UK – 0800 678 1602 / https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/coronavirus/coronavirus-anxious/

Samaritans – 116 123