Agenda item

To receive a presentation on the work carried out by the Citizens’ Advice Bureau within the Borough. 

11.1           The Chair welcomed Norman Gardner, Bureau Manager for the Gloucester and District Citizens’ Advice Bureau, to the meeting.  Members were reminded that Tewkesbury Borough Council had had a relationship with the Citizens’ Advice Bureau (CAB) since 2002.  Each CAB was a separate entity and, in recent years, the Council had been working with the Gloucester and District CAB to which it provided a grant each year.  It was considered that it would be beneficial for Members to hear about the work which the CAB carried out to ensure that it provided value for money.

11.2           The following key points were raised during the presentation:

·      Our Aims – To provide the advice people need for the problems they face; to improve policies and practices that affect people’s lives.

·      Our Principles – The Citizens’ Advice service provides free, independent and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilities; it values diversity, promotes equality and challenges discrimination.

·      Our Locations – Tewkesbury Borough Council offices, Prior’s Park, Bishop’s Cleeve, Winchcombe, Brockworth, Cheltenham (town centre), Gloucester (city centre).

·      Residents obtained advice – Face to face – 75.3% (79.5% in the previous year); by telephone – 12.6% (11.1% in the previous year); or by email – 12% (9.3% in the previous year).

·      Client Profile (1) – By age: majority in 35-49 category; by employment: majority in employment but the retired age group was also heavily represented which reflected the demographic of Tewkesbury Borough.

·      Client Profile (2) – Health: the majority of clients were not disabled; Income Levels (total household income per month): the majority of clients had income of £401-£999 per month.

·      Issues – Analysis of issues raised by clients April 2015 – March 2016: benefits – 28%; debt – 29%; employment – 10%; relationships – 9%; housing – 8%; legal – 4%; consumer – 4 %; other – 4%.  Hot spots: Brockworth – 60%; Prior’s Park – 10%, Churchdown St John’s – 9%.

·      Case Studies:

1.                Benefits – The client’s claim for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) was refused; decision endorsed at appeal in December 2014.  CAB assisted the client to appeal to Upper Tribunal based on the original tribunal not taking key factors into account.  Upper Tribunal set aside the decision of the First Tier Tribunal and referred the case for a new hearing.  CAB assisted the client at the new hearing and was awarded ‘Enhanced Rate Daily Living’ and ‘Standard Rate Mobility’ components; this meant that the client also qualified for Severe Disability Premium under her Employment Support Allowance claim.  Awards were backdated to December 2013 with backdated payments totalling £18,971 and continuing weekly payments of £165.95.

2.                Debt and Housing – Single parent with mental health issues, caring for her 18 year old son who had learning and behavioural difficulties and her 17 year old daughter who was still at school, £23,000 in debt.  Her registered social landlord had commenced possession proceedings which, if successful, would have left the family in a precarious position with a potential impact upon their health.  Despite the best efforts of the CAB, an application to stay the order whilst a solution was sought was rejected.  After negotiation, the CAB was able to persuade Severn Trent Trust Fund to clear the client’s water arrears of £5,000, thus bringing the debt below the £20,000 limit for Debt Relief Orders.  A Debt Relief Order for the write-off of £18,000 was applied for and confirmation of issue was received from the insolvency service at 11:05am; the possession hearing was due to start at 12:00noon that day.  The CAB adviser arrived at Court at 11:55am with the written confirmation and the Court consequently rejected the application allowing the client to keep her home.

·         Definitions – Financial Capability (1): knowledge, skill, motivation, awareness and confidence in relation to money management; Financial Inclusion: access to appropriate financial products and services allowing people to effectively manage their money regardless of their level of income or social status; Financial Exclusion: individuals cannot access financial products and services they need which means that those that can least afford to do so will end up paying more for their basic needs e.g. those people with pre-pay gas/electricity meters paid more per unit than people who pay by direct debit, buying goods on finance cost more without a good credit rating.

·         Financial Capability (2): Tewkesbury Borough Council’s Financial Inclusion Partnership; in conjunction with Tewkesbury Borough Council providing financial capability advice to Universal Credit claimants; training and workshops on financial inclusion, energy saving and switching suppliers, and support available etc. (to frontline teams e.g. food banks, GreenSquare Housing, and local communities e.g. Brockworth parent and baby group; one to one sessions (e.g. energy best deal extra, registered social landlord financial health checks and individuals at children’s’ centres).

11.3           With regard to the case study on debt, a Member queried whether the client would receive any follow-up to ensure that she did not slip back into difficulty.  The Bureau Manager for the Gloucester and District CAB advised that Gloucester City Homes did work with tenants and financial inclusion work was carried out with all those in debt, however, it tended to be that people did not want to go back once their debt had been cleared and approximately 25% did not return.  Whilst the CAB would like to do more, it relied heavily on volunteers and it would be impossible to be more proactive without significant recruitment.  A Member questioned how the CAB was funded and whether it was under financial pressure and was informed that, as well as the grant from Tewkesbury Borough Council, it had a number of contracts with various bodies such as Gloucester City Homes and Energy Best Deal.  In addition, donations were received from organisations such as Zurich Insurance and Somerfield and work was also carried out with children’s’ centres.  As a charity, the CAB had to be legally solvent; it was fortunate to hold contracts with Tewkesbury Borough Council and Gloucester City Homes and it would be anxious to extend those contracts once they came to an end.  The CAB aimed to keep around six months of trading expenses in reserve; there was currently around four to five months in reserve but this was still in excess of the three months recommended by the Charities Commission.

11.4           A Member questioned how the changes being brought about by the introduction of Universal Credit, whereby people in receipt of benefits would be expected to pay their own rent as opposed to the payment being made directly by the Council, would be managed.  In response, Members were informed that, when Universal Credit was eventually rolled-out, the Government would be providing funding to the CAB to enable it to offer personal budgeting advice.  As there had only been a partial roll-out so far, face to face support packages had been offered on a one-to-one basis, however, only one person had taken this up so far and a second person had failed to turn up for their appointment.   People found it hard to admit that they needed support and there was a culture of not wanting to face problems until it was too late.  The Bureau Manager for the Gloucester and District CAB explained that one of the main issues was that people currently received benefit payments on a weekly or fortnightly basis whereas Universal Credit would mean that they would be paid monthly so budgeting would be vital.  He indicated that 80-90% of people seen by the CAB were in debt through no fault of their own, for instance, as a result of marriage collapse, job losses etc. but all were faced with the same stigma.  A Member queried whether it would be beneficial for other organisations to make referrals to the CAB when people failed to pay their rent and he was informed that this already happened through Severn Vale Housing Society and GreenSquare Housing.

11.5           The Chair thanked the Bureau Manager for the Gloucester and District CAB for his informative presentation and it was

RESOLVED          That the Citizens’ Advice Bureau Presentation be NOTED.