Disabled and elderly will be given advice on changes to the new benefits system being introduced in April at an event in Fareham.
Fareham Area Disability Forum will advise anyone from the Western Wards and the rest of Fareham borough affected by disability on subjects such as debt, benefit changes, social care and jobs
Chairman Vince Barton, who lives in Locks Heath, said the event will aid people with various disabilities, including wheelchair users like himself, especially those concerned about the Government’s abolishment of disability living allowance (DLA).
From April 8, DLA will be replaced by Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which will be based on an assessment of individual need and their ability to carry out a range of key activities necessary to everyday life.
Mr Barton said: “There are lots of questions and lots of doubts about how this will be done. Those people whose reviews are coming up have seen it’s a new thing which will have teething problems in terms of the assessment criteria, what criteria the assessors are given and if they have got targets for saving money.
“The thing I’ve learned about disability is that no-one’s is quite the same as anyone else’s – there are always differences. So trying to put a system with some tick boxes to assess people is always going to be fraught with problems.
“It will make people worry. It will change the money that is available to people when every penny counts.
“So hopefully those people can get some advice from the event. It allows people to understand there are lots of sources of help for whatever your disabilities are.”
The advice day event on Monday February 25 will be at Ferneham Hall and opened by Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage.
Around 26 organisations will hold stalls with leaflets and advice, with members talking about hate crime, pensions, banking and a number of other topics.
It will run from 10am to 4pm.
For more details visit www.fadf.org.uk.