Benefits

Free Wills Service

The opportunity to make a will free of charge is available to members. Applications forms are available from the branch office. All the process entails is completing the form and sending an SAE A4 envelope to the provider. This is a very popular service and is much appreciated by our membership.

Death Benefit

Completed Years of Continued Membership And Anount Paid £		Eligibility Rules
Over 1 and less than 5	100	Death Benefit is available to any Unison member who dies in service (whilst still employed) and may also be available to ex-NUPE members who are now retired – ie those who have a “fully paid up” certificate from NUPE or who have been paying a small yearly fee to maintain their right to death benefit.  Please contact the branch office for further details if you are not sure. Ex NALGO and COHSE members who have retired are unfortunately not eligible for any benefit.
Over 5 and less than 15	200
Over 15 and less than 25	300
Over 25	400

The death must occur whilst the member is in full membership. The death benefit must be claimed within 12 months of the death by the personal representative of the deceased. The benefit will be paid to the partner of the deceased, if no surviving partner, to any dependant or dependants of the deceased in equal shares, if none, to the estate of the deceased. Ex members of NUPE who retire after 1 July 1993 and hold five years service will have their entitlement to death benefit protected providing they maintain retired member status.  

Accident Benefit

Qualification – membership for at leat 13 weeks prior to suffering the accident on which the claim is based.

Entitlement – £3.30 per day, £16.50 per week maximum during the whole period in which the member is unable to work by reason of the accident up to a maximum of 30 days of £99 in any calendar year.

The accident must happen in the course of the members employment or whilst travelling to or from work or upon Union business.

Fatal Accident Benefit

Qualification – membership for at least 13 weeks prior to suffering the accident on which the claim is based.

Completed Years Of Membership	£
Under 5 years	1750
Over 5 and less than 15	3500
Over 15 and less than 25	5250
Over 25	7000

The fatal accident must happen in the course of the member’s employment, or whilst travelling to or from work of upon Union business.

The member must be survived by a partner or at least one dependant.

Only one sum shall be paid, if more than one person is entitled under the Rule, the sum shall be paid to the surviving partner or if there is no surviving partner, to the dependant or dependants of the deceased in equal shares.

Thompsons Solicitors

Thompsons SolicitorsUnison provides the widest range of legal help for union members in the UK. We offer advice and assistance not just with work issues but for you and your family outside the workplace too.

Employment Problems
Unison boasts the largest number of local union reps, branches and officer sin the UK. We offer advice and assistance not just with work issues but for you and your family outside the workplace too. 

Injury and accidents at work
Unison has won more than £350 million in compensation for members involved in work-related personal injuries. this includes assaults, industrial diseases and accidents at work, on the way to or from work or on union business.

Non-work related personal injury claims 
Unison’s personal injury service covers any accident which happens to you and your family outside the workplace including:

Road traffic accidents
Accidents in the street
Injury on holiday
Slipping and tripping accidents
Criminal Cases

Members can get free legal representation if they face criminal charges arising out of their work. We can also represent members for road traffic offences if your job is at risk should you be convicted. You must contact the branch if you need to use this service by initially obtaining advice from your Convenor or Branch Secretary.

Free Initial Legal Advice
Unison members can get free legal advice on any matter not related to work. This service entitles you to receive a 30 minutes telephone interview with a solicitor.

Work tenancy problems
You may be eligible for advice from Unison’s solicitors if you need to live in particular accommodation as part of your job or your employer has given you accommodation as part of the job.

In order to qualify for legal help you need to:
Have paid a minimum 13 weeks of subscriptions before the date of the incident or before the date you require legal help and have no arrears of subscriptions.

For more information about Thompsons – http://www.thompsons.law.co.uk

Computer Skills For Trade Unionists

The Trade Union Education Centre at 40 Trinity Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 5LJ, telephone: 01782 227663 runs various computer courses regularly throughout the year for trade union members.  These include:

• Word Processing
• Databases
• Spreadsheets
• Communication and the Internet

Courses run at Levels 1, 2 and 3 to suit existing skills and can be undertaken on a flexible basis.

Please contact the Trade Union Education Centre for further information.