Annual Report 2015 -16

Inside this report

Chair’s Report 2

Acknowledgements 3

CEO’s Report 4

Advice Service 5

Project updates 6-7

Statistics 8

Contact details 9

not be materially reduced. done and a very big thank you. Chair’s Report th 2015/6 has been a The Trustees have worked tirelessly to Finally this is my 11 and final year as a very challenging ensure strong governance throughout the Trustee having served the last 6 years as year not least with year; for which I thank them. It is with regret Chair. I am immensely proud of Craven & a marked we say goodbye to our Trustee - Treasurer Harrogate Districts Bureau and the high decrease in Sandra Jowett who has given seven valuable standard of advice it gives to the clients funding available years of service. Although Sandra is stepping within our area - as witnessed by the to run the Bureau. down as a Trustee we are pleased she is independent Citizens Advice audit report remaining as a volunteer fundraiser. Sadly and the external audit of our accounts. This has led to a Andrew Phair and Chris Tomes will also be number of difficult I should like to thank Erica Cadbury CEO and leaving and I would like to thank them both for Carol Barber the previous Bureau Manager, decisions having their loyal service and support. to be taken by the for their efforts in professionally taking the Board, all of whom are themselves All three will be missed. service forward. I know Simon Grenfell, our current Vice Chair, will succeed as he takes volunteers. I must sincerely thank Harrogate Borough over from Due to storm damage we had to give up our Council, Craven District Council, North office at and seek alternative rental County Council, Ripon City Council, accommodation whilst we endeavour local charities, service organisations and our Client Satisfaction Survey sourcing further funding to be able to continue local solicitors for the on-going supportive and our service to our clients. proactive relationship we enjoy. Without them 98% would use our service again our service would not continue. In Craven we have had to scale back our 98% would recommend us It is a sad fact that CAB’s up and down the plans to relocate the office and have 95% were satisfied with our service launched a fund so that we can refurbish the country are having to close due to lack of funding which is hard to believe in times of current office. increasing austerity and change for many. With all your help we are continuing to deliver “Can’t thank you enough for In addition difficult decisions had to be made this invaluable service in Craven, Harrogate, everything” on the number of staff we can fund leading to Ripon and District. “It is an invaluable service that you three valued and highly skilled members of provide” staff being served with redundancy notices. In paying a huge tribute to the hard work and “Just a line to express my thanks and

dedication of all the staff and volunteers of gratitude for your efforts in gaining my son We are still actively seeking extra funding into the Bureau, (without whom we could not access to his benefits” the Bureau to mitigate this situation so that continue our invaluable service to the the number of clients the service helps will community), all I can say is once again well

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The Citizens Advice service provides free, Acknowledgements independent, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilities. We are extremely grateful to our local authorities for We value diversity, promote equality and challenge their continued funding and to parish councils, discrimination. organisations and individuals whose generosity

Our aims are: during 2015-16 enabled the service to help those most in need in our community.  To provide the advice people need for the County Council problems they face. Craven District Council Harrogate Borough Council  To improve the policies and practices that Big Lottery Funding

affect people’s lives. Allhallowgate Methodist Church The Parish Councils of: The Citizens Advice service helps people Athritis Care, Harrogate resolve their legal, money and other problems Charles and Elsie Sykes Trust Azerley by providing information and advice and by Craven and Keighley Quakers Baldersby influencing policymakers. HBINFO Ltd Bishop Monkton Holy Trinity Church Dishforth Citizens Advice use evidence of their clients' Hutchinson & Buchanan Draughton problems to campaign for improvements in Solicitors Grantley and Sawley laws and services that affect everyone. Knox Valley Residents Hewick and Hutton Association Horton-in-Ribblesdale Every Citizens Advice Bureau is an Ripon Rowels Rotary Club North Stainley with Slenningford independent registered charity. Without Skipton Building Society with Newby funding and volunteers, Craven and Soroptimists International Fund Sharow Harrogate Districts Citizens Advice could not Temperance Hall Stainforth continue to provide its services locally. Two Ridings Community Fund Thornton-in-Lonsdale Waitrose

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many more people making claims for Universal accommodation at Community House and CEO’s Report Credit. Allhallowgate Methodist Church. We are extremely grateful to the Ripon staff and volunteers for their The last year has been exceptionally busy Our core service remains largely dependent on our dedication in delivering a service in difficult with highs and lows of sadness and statutory funders – North Yorkshire County circumstances and to the support from happiness. The heart of our work is to give Council, Harrogate Borough Council and Craven Allhallowgate Church and Community House. good quality advice to people who contact District Council. It is their funding which enables us whether it is by phone, email or in us to provide our frontline services. We must We carried out our post merger staff restructure in person. Last financial year we advised just therefore work within the limits of their funding and October 2015 and said farewell to Sharon Taylor, over 5000 people. ensure through sound financial management, we the home visiting officer in Ripon. In the course of deliver a service in the long term. the year Linda Marsden and Carol Barber, the It is disempowering to be without money, to have former managers of Ripon and Harrogate also Harrogate Borough Council’s bidding process for lost your job or to be at risk of losing your home or scaled back their involvement. Linda remains a grants was truly competitive for the first time in your children or your liberty. Our role is to try and volunteer supervisor and Carol is on hand to assist 2015 for the triennium 2016 – 19. Until this point alleviate these problems by advising people what with funding bids. I would like to express my we had received 67% of Harrogate’s voluntary to do and where to go. Our advice is based on the sincere thanks for their support. rights and responsibilities enshrined in the sector fund or £114,000. In January 2016 the unwritten British constitution. outcome was announced and our funding had Sadly, Claire Hobbs, our training supervisor, died reduced by 34% to £70,000 and our share reduced on 28th February of cancer. Claire had made a We do this by being flexible in our approach to the to 33% of their total grant. marvellous contribution to Ripon Bureau and needs of people in the community. We want them carried on leading our training work in the merged This has resulted in a radical review of the cost to be able to access advice easily and quickly in a service. She was a person of exceptional integrity, base and with cautious use of reserves for the first friendly environment and then receive the level of bravery and charm and her sudden diagnosis was six months of 2016 and a balanced budget from advice they need whether it is by a trained a terrible blow as it came shortly after the news October 2016 and a contraction of the service volunteer or a specialist caseworker. that we had to leave the Ripon office in Sharow unless we receive additional grant funding. Our View. Kasia Atchinson, her support worker and We live in an increasingly complex society in which service remains dependent on its volunteer base. former Ripon adviser, had to leave as well so it the need is a greater than ever for high quality We have ambitious targets to recruit 20 volunteers was a double sadness. information, advice and representation. For some per year to bring our numbers up to 100 over the of our clients all they will need is the information next 3 years. This will require a planned approach which enables them to take action on their own as all our volunteers are highly skilled and take Looking forward, behalf and for a few of our clients the need will be time to train and develop. we will say to accompany them to a court or tribunal and goodbye to our represent them. A major achievement has been to upgrade our Chair Pat Shore Adviceline service so that we now have the and our Treasurer However Citizens Advice has the dual aim of capacity to answer 4 lines at a time and we have Sandra Jowett at challenging inequality through our research and trained several new volunteers. We have also our AGM. I campaigning activity. Craven and Harrogate is participated in the Warm and Well Initiative and cannot thank proud of its record in carrying out cutting edge play host to Pensionwise advisers. We have them enough for research and campaigning, Our report Waiting worked hard to improve our email service and are their unstinting For Credit on the problems of single working now seeing a steady increase in contacts by email. support. Their claimants was launched in November 2015 and “knowledge” of we are now addressing the needs of families and A major challenge has been to get the Ripon service up and running in its temporary the Harrogate 4

Generalist Advice Service

Our work would be nothing without our volunteers. We Spring of 2015. A tree fell down very close to the office and then a are proud that our front line advice is carried out almost storm damaged the roof of Sharow View which rendered the entire building unsafe. This lead us receiving notice. Unfortunately our entirely by volunteers from the receptionists, gateway plans refurbish part of Community House were derailed by the loss of and telephone advisers, generalist advisers to a small funding from Harrogate Borough Council and the service moved into number of specialists. We welcome new trainees all the temporary accommodation in Community House and Allhallowgate time and have an active training programme. Methodist Church at the end of March. Through all the inconvenience Each office is slightly different in the way that it works and has faced of being without IT after the storm and packing up the office the different challenges over the year. In alphabetical order: volunteers carried on advising regardless and the service has continued in its new form. Craven operates from St Andrews Church Hall. There are three drop-in sessions per week and appointments take place before and Our charity receives help and support in the form of voluntary assistance in advising the public and administering the charity. after these appointments. In 2015 – 16 we also ran outreaches at Settle (weekly) and Bentham and Ingleton (fortnightly). In January 75 volunteers contributed approximately 40,000 hours of 2016 we closed the Bentham outreach due to low numbers. Ingleton’s work t o the bureau during the year. numbers had increased possibly due to the fact that the community Financial Statement End of Year 2015/16 post office and library are also open on Wednesdays in the community centre.  Incoming resources in the year were £444,539 (2014/2015 £ 501,804). Harrogate has now settled in to Audrey Burton House but in the course of the year we were able to install an Adviceline call facility in  Expenditure was £494,813. Of this £213,562. (2014/2015 £285,685) related to project restricted activities. the workers room. This allows us to have four people taking calls at one time and we recognise the support and camaraderie this  A deficit of £50,274 was made in the current year (2014 /2015 Surplus £107,621.). engenders. Harrogate operates a drop-in service on 4 mornings a week and uses “quick-checks” to enable us to advise as many clients  At 31 March 2016 total reserves were £441,452 of which as possible in the course of a morning. This reduces the need for £232,175 represented unrestricted funds (2014- 15 appointments. At the end of the financial year we reconfigured some £216,472) of the rooms so that the paid staff from Ripon could all have a desk. Copies of full independently examined accounts available on request from:

Ripon office suffered a series of weather related mishaps in the [email protected]

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Project Reports Mental Health Welfare Benefits Project success rate of over 80 per cent. DISNY maintains links with both voluntary and This project supports clients Anne Adams public sector organisations by attending meetings such as; CVS partnership meetings, with mental ill health and Disability Information Service North works closely with Community North Yorkshire Winter Health Strategy Yorkshire (DISNY) Conference, Wider Partnership Consultations; Mental Health Teams in Harrogate and Ripon Districts. and by forging referral protocols with bodies Provides support, consultancy and casework such as the Living Well Team. Our remit is to assist mutual for North Yorkshire Citizens Advice on clients in claiming their benefit Disability Rights, Health, Community & Jeanette Bovo entitlement and appealing Residential Care. decisions where appropriate. Research and Campaigns PIP is now the main disability DISNY was successfully audited in April and Our twin aim is to improve the policies and benefit for people of working maintains its Advice Quality Standard practices that affect people’s lives. We have age. The transfer of those on Disability certification for an active Research and Campaigns group Living Allowance to Personal Independence casework in categories of which meets bi-monthly. Payment continues to be a difficult one, both Disability and particularly for those with mental health Health & Community As well as giving advice, Citizens Advice has issues as the criteria for PIP is so different to Care. always aimed to harness the evidence gained that of DLA. Clients have also found the from clients’ experiences and statistical data to assessment process to be very stressful and Examples of areas of exercise a responsible influence on social have needed extra help with the process. advice consulted on/ policy legislation and administration. This is referred to DISNY in the last year: especially important during the current period Harrogate is one of the pilot areas for Overpayment of care costs, challenging care Universal Credit and we are involved in a of significant change. needs assessments and/or increases in care steep learning curve. The process so far has cost contributions, advising on Direct not been an easy one for all concerned. The Identifying relevant issues is Payments, challenging billing of deceased central to the advice service. Citizens Advice are following the process family members, advising on Deferred closely regarding any social policy issues. We collate evidence, undertake Payment arrangements, raising complaints research and have a Despite our contract being for 77 referrals against NYCC with the Local Government programme of key campaigns. within 12 month period, we have taken 116 Ombudsman. We work closely with statutory referrals. This is evidence of the additional DISNY has offered training for NY Citizens and other relevant support clients and care co-ordinators Advice volunteers and staff on ‘Disability organisations. We are keen to support clients require as a result of the changes in the Discrimination’ and ‘Deferred Payment who are interested in campaign work on issues benefit system mentioned above. Of the Arrangements’. that have affected them. Our research and applications for benefit made, we have a campaigns work is communicated to a wide

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Project Reports Research and Campaigns Money Advice Service Debt Advice Project

Universal Credit The Money Advice Service Debt Advice Welfare Benefits Supervisor Project (MASDAP) offers clients help in Sue Wright , benefits supervisor (30 hours), In 2015 CHD initiated and coordinated a managing their debts and has undergone Kate Smith-Lawrence, caseworker (7 hours). research project aiming to gather some early some changes this year. supported by our volunteers provide advice, insights into the delivery of Universal Credit. We have moved into assessing clients using assistance, representation and where the Common Initial Assessment tool which The sixteen local Citizens Advice offices that identifies the best route of advice for our necessary, casework to welfare benefit clients. took part in the project together interviewed clients. approximately one tenth of all Citizens Advice During 2015-16 we saw continuing changes to clients in and Wales who had been Clients may be advised how to deal with their welfare benefits. Universal Credit, introduced given advice on UC in the previous year. creditors themselves, they may be signposted in Harrogate district for certain claimants to a telephone or online provider for further during 2014, was expanded to include people The report help, referred to an appropriate agency for with health problems and families with summarising the example for Debt Management Plans, or a children. As UC claimant numbers grew, we project findings was bureau appointment may be offered to receive saw an increase in clients presenting without featured in two further help or discuss insolvency options. money for food, fuel or rent because of the six week wait for first payment. UC claimants Guardian articles We have recently started making regular typically build up rent arrears and debts at the and was launched in referrals to the new National MASDAP start of their claim because of this delay. parliament in Telephone Contact Sadly, the first payment does not resolve their November 2015 by Centres and have Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson. The launch debts, as UC assumes claimants will have found this additional been monthly paid and will have a month’s was attended by about ten MPs and Lords, as service to be very salary to cover them during the six week wait. well as representatives from each of the beneficial and efficient Most of our clients are paid weekly and have participating local offices and Citizens Advice. for some of our debt no money for five out of the six weeks wait. This led to a very positive meeting in March clients. We continue to see many clients who have 2016 with the responsible Minister, Lord Freud, Alison Wilson continues been found incorrectly fit for work at ESA re- who promised to examine some of our key to supervise the project recommendations in detail. One of these with administrative assessment or who have lost their DLA, at recommendations- a direct line for advisers - support from Yvette Farrand and Richard DLA to PIP renewal. The vast majority of has now been implemented. Russell as a volunteer adviser. appeals we assist with or represent at, involve sickness or disability benefits. The need for Sue Royston Alison Wilson benefits help is rising steadily under continuing

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STATISTICS 2015 - 16

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Our contact details, opening hours & service information Craven office Harrogate office

St Andrews Church Hall Audrey Burton House Adviceline

Newmarket Street Queensway 03444 111 444 Skipton BD23 2JE Harrogate HG1 5LX

Monday 10.30am-1.30pm Monday 9am-12 noon Tuesday Appointments only Tuesday 9am-12 noon Email ad- Wednesday 10.30am-1.30pm Wednesday 9am-12 noon Thursday 10.30am-1.30pm Thursday Appointments only Friday Appointments only Friday 9am-12 noon

Office line 01423 503591 Office line 01756 798941 [email protected] Message line 01756 701371 Message line 01423 560840 Fax 01756 796631 Fax 01423 565192

Drop in - outreach Ripon sessions Website Settle Health Centre Community House, Sharow View www.citizensadvice.org.uk/cravenandharrogatecab 75 Allhallowgate

Monday 10am-1pm Ripon HG4 1LE

01729 822205 Tuesday Appointments only Thursday 2pm-3.30pm Ingleton, Ingleborough Community Registered office Centre Allhallowgate Methodist Church Audrey Burton House Allhallowgate Queensway Wednesday 10am-12 noon Ripon HG4 1LG 2nd & 4th of month Harrogate HG1 5LX Friday 9.30am-12 noon 01524 241701` Charity Registration No. 1130946

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