HIV/AIDS Work including Welfare Fund

Aim
To provide an appropriate service to those who are HIV Positive and living with AIDS

Objectives

•  to provide a user friendly, easy access, non-threatening point of contact for those who are HIV+ seeking information and advice

•  to provide a co-ordinated care service in conjunction with the Specialist Nurse and Specialist Social Worker

•  to provide a Welfare Fund

The service is provided by:

a. The provision of generic advice information and support services and forward referral to specialist providers as appropriate

b. An information/advice/support line, within office hours, to be available for people living with HIV and AIDS.

c. Case Worker support offered by the services.

d. Publicity and information provided by Signposts MARC.

In addition the service has begun work in Cumbria to identify need and look at service development.  A steering group has been set up and with some additional funding transferred from the Cumbria Support Group the following activities are planned:

• Information dissemination

• Awareness Raising

• Individual support

Welfare Fund

The Welfare Fund is available to help to improve the quality of life of people with AIDS and symptomatic HIV. The fund provides financial help towards the cost of items and services which applicants cannot afford on their current income, and for which funding is not available from statutory sources.

Eligibility and Scope
The fund can only give grants to a person directly affected by the symptomatic stage HIV infection. It cannot give help to families, partners, friends and others involved in care of the applicant. It cannot help with council tax, holidays, rent/mortgage arrears or funeral costs. It cannot provide emergency cash payments.

The fund is only available to people living in Lancashire and Cumbria.

Referrals
All referrals must be supported by a professional third party. These include a social worker, welfare rights worker, probation worker, health adviser, drug worker and a paid employee of a voluntary organisation.

Medical Proof
Proof of medical status may be required

Application Form
All requests must be made on the Signposts Welfare Fund Application Form. - <Word Format>

Please make sure that all sections are completed, including the applicants signature. Incomplete applications will be returned. The more the information which is given in Section 5 of the form, the better we can assess the merits of the application.

Payments
For the applicants convenience, household bill payments are made direct to the company concerned; please include the original copy of bills with the application. For TV licenses, please include the completed license form so that the license can be provided directly to the applicant.

For further information, please contact Signposts between 10.00 am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday. Telephone (01524) 419597