Helping local people Presentation to Weymouth Town Council

Helping local people Presentation to Weymouth Town Council Daniel Cadisch 22 nd May 2019

Citizens Advice in Weymouth Face to face help at • Weymouth Library • Littlemoor Community Centre • GP Surgeries at Wyke Regis and Royal Crescent

Citizens Advice in Weymouth Telephone support from Dorset Adviceline 0344 411 1444 Specialist casework in • Debt • Universal Credit • Welfare Benefits

Residents helped 2018 -19 1, 780 residents helped, with 8, 373 issues £ 1, 389, 168 gained in financial income

Issues dealt with 2018 -19 Legal (2%) Other Relationships & family (4%) Benefits & tax credits (28%) Housing (5%) Utilities & comms (4%) Universal Credit (13%) Employment (5%) Financial services & capability (6%) Debt (23%)

Residents helped 2018 -19 Gender Age 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Disability 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% Not disabled/no health problems 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 55%

Adam’s story Adam* is 72 and physically disabled due to arthritis and diabetes. He asked for our help in understanding his State Retirement Pension and Pension credit guarantee payments, which had stopped being paid in 2016. In March this year, he had a visit from the Pension service of the DWP and it was only at this visit that he became aware that his pension had been stopped. Our adviser phoned the pension service and was told that a query had been raised over the clients living arrangements - the visit had determined that he was indeed living alone. This meant that Adam was owed £ 12, 700 in backdated pension which would be paid in instalments. Adam also told us that he was due an operation that may result in his foot being amputated. We discovered that Adam was not receiving any disability benefits. Following his hospital appointment, Adam discussed Attendance Allowance with our adviser and we helped him to make a claim. We expect Adam to receive high rate Attendance Allowance at £ 87. 65 per week (£ 4, 557 p. a. ). We will help Adam with challenges and appeals if the benefit is not awarded. Adam has been totally overwhelmed by these outcomes and stated that he “had never had that much money in his life”. * Name changed to protect identity

Janet’s story Janet* came to us very distressed. She had received a High Court Writ of Control Notice of Enforcement for unpaid water charges. She was extremely vulnerable, having fled domestic violence, and was living in a homeless B&B, waiting to be housed. She suffers from depression and anxiety and also has a physical disability. Our adviser telephoned the water company and asked for the debt to be taken back under Section 16 Creditors’ Responsibilities of the Taking Control of Goods: National Standards, which states “should a debtor be identified as vulnerable, creditors should be prepared to take control of the case, at any time, if necessary”. The internal investigation team refused to take it back stating “it’s too far along” and to “contact the Enforcement Agents directly”. We wrote a formal complaint to the CEO of the company stating that we believed they were in serious breach of the National Standards. We were not surprised to see a letter and receive a phone call within 3 days of our complaint – stating that they have taken the debt back from the Enforcement Agents. We telephoned the client with the news and she said “you have changed my world”. * Name changed to protect identity

Thank you Daniel Cadisch Chief Officer, Citizens Advice Central Dorset chiefofficer@dsnd. org. uk 01305 269051