Derby Advice training courses
Overview
Derby Advice is the main provider of free welfare rights and money advice training for voluntary and public sector organisations in the East Midlands. The service is managed by Derby Homes on behalf of Derby City Council.
Training is delivered through a mix of online sessions and face-to-face sessions.
Make sure you know where you need to be and that you have internet access, if needed, before you book a course.
To book your place, download, complete the booking form and email it to derby.advice@derbyhomes.org.
Places are limited, book early to secure your place.
Our courses are popular but have limited availability. If you aren’t going to be able to attend a course that you’re booked on for any reason please contact us so that the place can be allocated to somebody else.
For more information contact Derby Advice by telephone on 01332 643394 or email derby.advice@derbyhomes.org.
Course dates are usually released towards the end of summer.
An introduction to Money Advice
We recommend that you take this course first if you have not attended any Derby Advice Money Advice training before.
This is an hour introductory course for people who have little or no experience of the money advice process.
It will focus on identifying the reasons why people fall into debt, the barriers to getting money advice, the money advice process and how to make appropriate referrals to Derby Advice.
Participants will be able to:
- Understand the money advice process.
- Understand where people can access free money advice.
- Refer appropriately.
Programme overview:
- An overview of the Derby Homes Money Advice team.
- Reasons for being in debt and the barriers to getting advice.
- The money advice process and where to access free advice.
Training dates:
- Tuesday 17 November 2026 from 1pm to 2pm. The training will take place online.
Money Advice: Part one
This is a two-hour course focusing on the preparation, completion and importance of a financial statement.
The course will cover income maximisation, budgeting skills and issues surrounding financial exclusion.
Aimed at anyone working in a supporting role with people struggling to budget and pay their bills.
A basic knowledge of welfare benefits and money advice is assumed.
Participants will be able to:
- understand the importance of completing a financial statement
- draw up a basic financial statement
- identify ways in which clients can increase income and reduce expenditure
- understand how we prioritise debts
Programme overview:
- what is a financial statement and why is it important?
- preparing a financial statement
- budgeting suggestions
- prioritising debts
Training dates:
- Thursday 19 November 2026 from 10am to 12pm. The training will take place online.
Money Advice: Part Two
This is a two-hour course focusing on recovery of debts through the County Court, enforcement agents (‘bailiffs’) and strategies for dealing with debts.
A basic knowledge of money advice is assumed.
Participants will be able to:
- Understand how creditors recover debts through the County Court.
- Identify what action enforcement agents can take.
- Understand the strategies debt advisers use to assist clients in becoming debt free.
Programme overview:
- The County Court recovery process and County Court Judgments.
- Types of enforcement agents and their powers.
- Debt strategies.
Training dates:
- Tuesday 24 November 2026 from 10am to 12pm. The training will take place online.
Bitesize Benefits
This is a great introduction to the Welfare Benefits system for people with little or no previous knowledge or those wanting an overview of help that may be available to individuals or families – whether working, not working, or with health problems and disabilities. This will cover the benefits system in basic terms, with guidance on how to apply and where to signpost potential claimants.
We would recommend that for people with little or no welfare benefits experience they attend this course before attending the more specialist courses.
On completion, participants will be able to:
- Identify potential benefit claims for different groups of people (for example, disabled, older people).
- Assist with the claims process.
- Refer appropriately.
Programme:
- What are the main Social Security Benefits and who can claim them?
- How is welfare reform affecting the benefit system?
- Benefit decisions and appeals.
Training dates:
- Wednesday, 13 January 2027 from 9:30am to 1pm
The sessions will take place in person at Derby Homes, London Road Depot.
Mental Health and Benefits
A full-day course tailored to anyone who works with younger adults with mental health problems.
Participants will be able to:
- Recognise the issues facing people with mental health problems when claiming benefits.
- Understand the qualifying rules for Personal Independence Payment as they relate to people with mental health conditions.
- Complete Personal Independence Payment claim forms.
- Understand the Work Capability Assessment and how to assist with forms.
- Understand the permitted work rules and other issues facing people going back to work .
- Understand how the introduction of Universal Credit will affect people with mental health problems.
Programme:
- Barriers to claiming benefits.
- Personal Independence Payment.
- Work Capability Assessment.
- Returning to work.
- Universal Credit.
Training dates:
- Wednesday 17 March 2027 from 9:30am to 4:30pm
The sessions will take place in person at the Council House.
Benefits and Care Homes
This half-day course will look at the financial assessment made by the local authority when someone goes into a residential care or nursing home. It will also consider the effects of going into a home on benefits. Particular issues covered will include: treatment of property, continuing health care, temporary residents, Attendance Allowance / Disability Living Allowance / Personal Independence Payment and Housing Benefit.
Participants will be able to:
- Understand the financial assessment.
- Explain the impact of going into residential are on entitlement to benefits.
Programme:
- The impact on disability benefits.
- The financial assessment.
- Treatment of property.
- s.117 Mental Health Act.
- Continuing health care.
- Housing Benefit.
Training dates:
- Wednesday 2 December 2026 from 9:30am to 1pm
The sessions will take place in person at the Council House.
Universal Credit
After years of reforming the Welfare Benefits system, Universal Credit has now been rolled out throughout the UK. This half-day course looks at who could be entitled, how to apply, claimants’ responsibilities, how to maintain a claim and how to deal with some obstacles along the way, for example, if you become too ill to work.
Participants will be able to:
- Identify the groups of people who can claim Universal Credit.
- Understand how the implementation of Universal Credit will impact on claimants.
- Understand migration from legacy benefits on to Universal Credit.
Programme overview:
- Migration from legacy benefits over to Universal Credit.
- Barriers to claiming Universal Credit.
- Identify groups most likely to be adversely affected and consider difficulties they’re likely to face.
- Consider the options for claimants too ill to work on Universal Credit, including descriptors that the DWP consider and guidance on form filling.
Training dates:
- Wednesday 10 February 2027 from 9:30am to 1pm at Derby Homes, London Road Depot
- Wednesday 24 March 2027 from 9:30am to 1pm at the Council House
The sessions will take place in person.
Disability Benefits
This course looks at disability benefits that are available for under-16s, people of working age, and people over state pension age. It will look at the qualifying criteria of each group, so that potential claimants can be identified and signposted. It will also look at what people can do if their claims aren’t successful.
Participants will be able to:
- Identify potential claims.
- Understand the conditions of entitlement.
- Understand the assessment process.
Programme overview:
- Who can qualify for each disability benefit.
- How each benefit is assessed.
- The implications of an award of a disability benefit for disabled people and carers.
Training date:
- Wednesday 10 March 2027 from 9:30am to 1pm
The sessions will take place in person at the Council House.
Benefits for People over State Pension Age
This half-day course is suited to those who support older people. It considers benefits specifically for those over pension age, with a view to identifying potential claimants who could be missing out on valuable income and how best to help them.
Participants will be able to:
- Identify potential claims.
- Understand the conditions of entitlement.
Programme overview:
- Who can qualify for Pension Credit
- Who can qualify for other benefits
- How each benefit is assessed
- Maximising benefits for older people
- Which benefits passport older people to a Winter Fuel Payment
Training dates:
- Wednesday 3 March 2027 from 9:30am to 1pm
The sessions will take place in person at the Council House.
Personal Independence Payment
This course will provide information on basic qualifying criteria which govern entitlement to the Daily Living Component and Mobility Component of Personal Independence Payment, a benefit for working-age people with health issues or a disability. It takes a practical approach, looking at good practice in completing the PIP2 form, ‘How your disability affects you’.
Training dates:
- Wednesday 3 February 2027 from 9:30am to 2:30pm
The sessions will take place in person at the Council House.