Local Authority – Tax Credits Training

If you work for a local authority in Scotland and provide training on welfare rights, we are offering you free resources and support to deliver basic tax credits courses to frontline workers who work with low-income families or low-waged workers. So far, seven local authorities have taken part in this project, with excellent results:

“Enjoyed delivering – flowed well and participants seemed happy with content”

“Good material that flowed well”

”Very easy to present”.

See below for more information and how you can get involved.

Information for local authorities

We are working in partnership with local authorities in Scotland to deliver basic training on tax credits to frontline workers.

• Tax credits – the essentials, is aimed at those working with clients claiming tax credits. It aims to equip them to help clients avoid problems with their claim and maximise entitlement.
• Participants on the course do not need any prior knowledge of tax credits.
• We have produced training materials and a training guide. These are for local authority trainers to use to deliver training themselves.

What CPAG is offering

• Free training materials, Tax credits – the essentials, for you to copy and use, including a trainer’s pack with full information on our suggested method of delivery.
• You can be confident that the training materials have the latest information and advice. We will regularly update the training materials.
• Support for your trainer with any questions on the content or delivery of the training.

What we ask of the local authority

• You should have a trainer with enough tax credits knowledge to deliver the course. If your trainer would like to upgrade their knowledge, we offer training courses on a range of tax credits subjects.
• We would like you to commit to delivering at least two courses but there is no upper limit on the number of courses you can deliver.
• We ask you to tell us when you plan to deliver a course – so we can make sure you have the latest up-to-date training materials. You should aim to give a month’s notice.
• We ask you to complete feedback forms and send them to us at the end of the course.

Training materials

Training materials consist of a trainer’s pack and a trainee’s pack. The trainer’s pack has the material you need as a trainer to deliver the course. The trainee’s pack has the material to hand out to the trainees during the course. These materials are provided by email for you to download and copy. In addition, we provide one paper copy. Tell us when you plan to deliver the course and we will provide the latest up-to-date materials.

Delivering the course

Tax credits – the essentials, is designed to last three hours in total with one 15 minute break. The course is designed to involve participants by the use of exercises, discussion, visual display as well as PowerPoint slides. The trainer’s notes in your trainer’s pack takes you through the suggested order of topics and exercises. The notes detail the information to deliver and explain how the course exercises are intended to work.

For any queries, please contact:
Mark Willis
Tax Credits Project
CPAG in Scotland
Unit 9 Ladywell
94 Duke Street
Glasgow G4 0UW

tel: Mark Willis 0141 552 3722
email: mwillis@cpagscotland.org.uk