Hull & East Riding Citizens Advice Bureau Provides free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilities. It values diversity, promotes equality and challenges discrimination. The Service aims:- To provide the advice people need for the problems they face. To improve the policies and practices that affect people’s lives. 1 Hull & East Riding Citizens Advice Bureau The Bureau is a member of the national Citizens Advice Network which forms the largest advice giving network in the UK comprising over 3000 advice centres throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Nationally, 20,000 volunteers work in the bureaux, together with paid staff including bureau managers and specialist advisers. Each Bureau is an independent charity, supported by Citizens Advice which is the operating name of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux. Hull & East Riding Citizens Advice Bureau provides free, confidential and impartial advice. The aims of the service are: to provide the advice people need for the problems they face - and equally to improve the policies and practices that affect people‟s lives through advocacy and social policy. The Bureau employs almost 50 full and part-time paid staff and over 150 volunteer staff and provides its services from permanent offices in Hull, Beverley, Bridlington and Goole and over 31 outreach venues in Hull and the East Riding. Some facts and figures:- In 2012 / 13 the Bureau assisted over 14,000 clients with over 17,000 different enquiries. But many more people benefit from our work: individuals who volunteer improve their confidence, skills and employment prospects household finances are managed better through our financial capability sessions communities benefit indirectly from our advocacy work, which influences decision- makers and policy. In Hull, the top 5 enquiry areas were:- Debt 35% Benefits 24% Housing 8% Employment 7% Family and relationships 7% 2 The Bureau is supported by over 150 volunteers in roles such as: Trustee, Assessor, Advisor, Administrator, Receptionist, Social Policy Officer and Information Assistant. The value of our volunteers‟ contribution is worth over £900,000 to the local economy. Volunteers provide over 1,100 hours per week of time to support local residents. Volunteer training increases the knowledge and confidence of volunteers and paid staff working across all communities, enable better diagnostic of the problems people face, improve the knowledge of advice services available to the clients and improve the employability of the people involved, who will have an accredited skill. Volunteering for the CAB is a proven pathway to employment and education. On average, 30% of volunteers trained by the bureau move on into employment and 12% into further education each year. In 2012/13 we achieved £7,118,808 of financial gain for our clients: £1,311,333 of increased benefit and tax credit take up (one-off and ongoing) £5,600,284 of debts were written either through debt relief orders, negotiations with creditors, bankruptcy or insolvency. Over 1,500 clients had their debts re-negotiated to a manageable level allowing them to financially support themselves going forward Over £200,000 of other financial gains were achieved including accessing charitable payments for clients, resolving housing problems and negotiating with employers on behalf of clients. £1,311,333 of increased benefit and tax credit take up (one-off and ongoing) –160 Clients received one-off payments of benefits and 274 Clients received ongoing benefit payments £5,600,284 of debts were written off either through debt relief orders, negotiations with creditors, bankruptcy or insolvency –827 Clients received a DRO, 295 Clients were assisted with bankruptcy, 32 Clients referred for an IVA and 36 Clients had debt written off. Over £200,000 of other financial gains were achieved including accessing charitable payments for clients, resolving housing problems and negotiating with employers on behalf of clients –29 Clients were either represented in Court or had court action averted Over 1,500 clients had their debts re-negotiated to a manageable level allowing them to financially support themselves going forward 13 Client had bailiffs‟ action stopped 26 Clients had their rental property improved 30 Clients had their homelessness averted or prevented 24 Clients were re-housed 7 Clients had a dispute with their neighbour or landlord resolved 3 In 2013/14, the Bureau will receive over £1.2 million of funding to offer the following services: General Help and Assisted Information Services This service offers information and generalist advice in a wide range of topics including debt, welfare benefits, housing, employment, relationship and family, consumer, immigration and others from the four permanent offices and outreach. The service is provided by both paid advice staff and highly trained volunteers and offered via face to face drop in, telephone, e mail and appointment services. GP Advice Project Funded by the Clinical Commissioning group, Hull residents can access generalist advice on the full range of topics at 19 GP surgeries throughout the city. Doctors or practice nurses can refer patients for advice on many issues, e.g. debt, benefits, housing etc. Hull residents can also self refer by contacting the surgery to book an appointment. The adviser is able to signpost clients to other agencies as necessary. Pickering and Newington Development Area (PANDA) Project Residents of the Pickering and Newington areas can book generalist advice appointments at three different outreaches for generalist advice. The PANDA worker is also responsible for delivering training to PANDA staff to enable them to offer better help and support to Pickering and Newington residents. Specialist Debt Advice The Face 2 Face Project is funded by the Money Advice Service and offers specialist debt advice and casework through our team of eight debt specialists. This funding is specifically to provide free face to face debt advice to the most disadvantaged social groups. Advice Services Transition Fund Project The Bureau is the lead in a partnership of 13 local advice organisations focused on improving outcomes for clients by renewing service models, reducing duplication, improving quality and bringing partners together to be more effective and efficient. An accredited training centre will be established to provide training for advice workers, advocacy and support workers and other frontline staff. Welfare Rights Advice 4 The East Riding of Yorkshire Council has provided funding for specialist welfare rights casework. Appointments are available to East Riding residents. Legal Advice Centre Local Solicitors volunteer their time and expertise to the Bureau. Free appointments with a local solicitor are available between 4pm – 6pm on Wednesdays in Hull. Clients are booked an appointment after seeing an advisor at the Bureau. Consumer Empowerment Partnership Funded by BIS via Citizens Advice, there are 10 Partnerships across the country. Working closely with trading standards, other bureaux and local agencies the officer is responsible for raising awareness of consumer issues amongst the public and other agencies and developing information to enable people to tackle issues themselves. The Bureau is the lead for Yorkshire and Humber. Big Energy and Financial Capability Training The Bureau has for many years worked to enable people to manage their money more effectively through: financial capability workshops and one to one sessions Energy Best Deal promotions and assisted information In 2013/14 the Bureau led on Energy Best Deal week in Yorkshire and the Humber The Bureau is constantly seeking further funding from other sources. 5 Two case studies to highlight the impact of the Bureau’s work Case study – Debt Our client first presented to the Hull office, where following a triage assessment she was referred to the specialist debt team. The client had been “encouraged” to take on a mortgage of £120,000 by a Financial Adviser, despite the fact that she was on very low income and it was clearly not affordable. Repayments were unaffordable and the Mortgage Company was threatening repossession. Our Debt Caseworker challenged the Mortgage provider, on the basis that they had failed in their duty to ensure that the credit arrangement was affordable, and the Financial Adviser on the basis that there had been undue influence on the client and mis-selling. Following a statement from CAB that a complaint would be made to the Financial Services Authority, the Mortgage Company agreed that £99,000 of the outstanding mortgage would be written-off, the balance of £21,000 could be paid at affordable repayment levels in perpetuity. The rate agreed was £5 per month due to the client’s low income levels. The Caseworker drew up the agreement for the Mortgage Company to sign. Subsequently, the client returned to our East Riding office. The Mortgage Company had reneged on the deal and was threatening repossession again. The ER Caseworker was able to see the past case record on our integrated case recording system and discuss the background of the case with the previous caseworker. It was agreed with the client that a complaint should be made to the Financial Ombudsman. This was communicated to the Mortgage Company, with the offer for this action to be suspended if they withdrew their claim and honoured the original agreement. Initially, the Financial Ombudsman found in favour of the Mortgage Company, stating the Mortgage Company did not intend the agreement to last “in perpetuity”. On immediate presentation of further paperwork from the CAB, within four days of the original decision, the Ombudsman changed his decision. Case Study – Welfare Benefits Mr and Mrs B came to us for advice after they realised they had not received all of their benefits entitlement. The family had been unable to get a National Insurance number for their first child (as he was approaching 16) and were told to contact the Child Benefit office for this. However, they found out that the benefits office had an address for their son in a different part of the country (Scotland), where they had never lived.