Uttlesford Citizens Advice Bureau

2012–13

www.uttlesfordcab.org.uk

We provide free,independent, confidentialand impartial advice toeveryone on their rightsand responsibilities. Wevalue diversity, promoteequality and challengediscrimination.

Our aims are to providethe advice people needfor the problems theyface, and to improve the policies and practicesthat affect people’s lives.

“Poverty and hardship existin our area and with extra

funds we can reach out andmake a real difference.”

Uttlesford Citizens Advice Bureau is a charitythat works in and around Saffron Walden, GreatDunmow, Thaxted and Stansted Mountfitchet.

As a volunteer-based charity, we see the amazingwork that can be done by the community.However, legislative changes in the Localism Actaround housing, the Welfare Reform Act and cutsin legal aid, will affect local residents. Uttlesford isa wonderful place to live, but if you don’t havemuch money the absence of a job centre, scarcepublic transport and the lack of affordable housingis a huge problem.

We work hard to help our community deal with thecomplexities of these changes, as well as tacklingthe everyday challenges faced by those who useour service. We focus on supporting the mostvulnerable members of society, whilst empoweringpeople to help themselves where they can.

Uttlesford has a strong sense of community andwe are incredibly grateful to our many supportersand volunteers. But funding still remains uncertainevery year and Uttlesford CAB can only continue tooffer its vital service with continued support.

Looking to the future

KATE ROBSON, MANAGER

“If you don’t have muchmoney the absence of a job centre, scarce publictransport and the lack ofaffordable housing is a

huge problem.”

A bailiff callsA woman called in a state of real distress sayingthat a bailiff was on her doorstep demanding thekeys to her car. As she had to have the car in orderto get to work, we contacted the people she owedmoney to and asked them to accept affordable re-payments rather than taking the car away. Thecreditors agreed and our client was able to remainin employment and pay off her debts.

Unemployed and homelessA young man of 19 came to us as he had lost bothhis job and his home. His employers, who hadprovided him with accommodation, were closingthe business. After checking he hadn’t beenunfairly dismissed, we discussed his options interms of unemployment benefit and his lack ofpriority housing need. Initially, the young man wasreluctant to consider leaving the area and movingback in with his parents. However, after gainingadvice, he decided that it would be in his bestinterests to return home to his parents and applyto a local college for training. He concluded thathe could return to Uttlesford in the future, eitherby transferring his college course or by finding anew job.

Please note: Some details on these pages have been changed to protect client confidentiality.

Fear of the futureA client with Multiple Sclerosis was referred to us by her GP, needing to discuss her anxiety overbeing forced to give up work. She was unsure ofher legal rights and what monies she could live onwhen she stopped working.

We helped her fill in forms to identify whatpension she would be likely to receive in the future and helped her apply for Employment SupportAllowance to partly cover her lost income. Our home visitor also helped her complete theDisability Living Allowance claim form. She is nowstarting to adapt to her changing circumstanceswith fewer worries.

Who we help

“A recent survey showedthat 99% of our clients werehappy or very happy with the

quality of information andadvice they received.”

Hungry and isolatedA woman with mental health problems was living in total isolation in a farm building. She urgentlyneeded help as she had no food. We visited herimmediately and arranged for food vouchers tosupport her in the short-term, as well as for her gasbottle to be replaced so she could cook. We thenhelped her complete Employment SupportAllowance and Disability Living Allowanceapplications. Her situation is now vastly improvedand she is now receiving the correct financial supportand has been signposted to local Mind services.

At his wits’ endA desperate father came to us with rent arrearsbecause his housing benefit had been reduced.After discussing the problem, we identified that his16-year-old son was out of education, employmentand training. We explained that he had lost hishousing benefit and would lose his entitlement tochild tax credits if his son was not in education. Weadvised him on suitable education courses for hisson and helped him take the necessary steps tosuccessfully manage his rent arrears.

KEY FACTS

“I was sick with worry butnow I can see a way out.”

Benefits 30%Debt 13%Housing 11%Employment 11%Relationships 9%

Legal 7%Finance 4%Consumer 4%Other 11%

Active enquiries by main category

in 2011–2012

● This year we handled 11,333 visits and calls

from local people or people with

connections to the area

● Our debt team helped 99 families and

individuals in serious debt who were facing

serious stress and anxiety

● The service could not exist without our

volunteers whose time is valued at over

£386,000 a year

● Local charities and donations helped us

supply £480 of food vouchers to individuals

and families who had no money to buy food

● We worked in partnership with other

charities to provide over £6,300 to

help local people in desperate situations

● 65% of our clients were new to Uttlesford

CAB in 2011–12

● An audit in summer 2012 showed we are

providing the highest grade of advice to

our clients

Warm homes, healthy people In a cold, snowy February staff and volunteersdonned gloves and boots to knock on 2,251 doorsin parts of the district where we felt we couldmake a difference. We gave 304 households advice on a range of issues including keepingwarm, saving money on heating costs, benefitentitlements and managing debt. The project,funded by the Department of Health, reachedmany older people at home and was warmlyreceived. We hope to run this successful serviceagain, if funding permits.

Disability homevisit team This year our staff and volunteers helped localpeople successfully complete the complicateddisability benefit forms through a project thatoffers a home visit service to people unable tocome into the Bureau. We supported 167 localpeople with serious disabilities to claim anadditional £622,000 in disability benefits. Theproject has continued to receive funding fromEssex County Council.

Carver Barracks We were asked by the Welfare Officer at CarverBarracks to offer an outreach service to thesoldiers and their families. In a short trial ofadvice sessions we helped many soldiers andtheir families with long-standing issues includingdebt, money management, disability issues,retirement planning and redundancy. UttlesfordDistrict Council’s Jubilee Fund has agreed to funda fortnightly outreach for six months to ensurethis work continues, whilst we look for longerterm funding.

GP referral pilot In the summer we ran a pilot referral service forpatients at Thaxted Surgery. Research has shownthat patients who regularly visit the doctor oftenhave debt, employment and relationship issues,which cause anxiety. In addition, people withdisabilities who regularly visit the doctor are morelikely to have low incomes. Working with thesurgery, we were able to offer a joined up servicetackling both the patients’ medical and socialissues. In the future we would like to expand thisservice to work with more surgeries across thedistrict, where funding is available.

Youth volunteer project To improve our service and reach out to youngpeople across the district, we have recruited anumber of local 15 and 16 year olds. They are nowbuilding awareness of the CAB amongst localyoung people and helping us to understand theirspecific needs and aspirations.

Reaching further

The CAB teamPAID STAFFKate Robson ManagerSarah Philbrook Advice Services ManagerAlison Jiggins Training SupervisorKellie Dorrington Senior Session SupervisorCaroline Halfacre Debt SpecialistPebble Padfield Disability Benefit SpecialistCarol Mooney Admin (Debt)Joanna Hancock Admin (Office)Jo Snares Cleaning

Trustee board membersRobin Moser ChairNicola Robert Vice ChairRoger Turner TreasurerJohn Clayton Company Secretary & H&S ChairEmma Langbridge External Affairs ChairDavid O'Brien Personnel ChairDiane Drury Fundraising ChairJill Elms TrusteeJohn Starr TrusteeTricia Summers Trustee

Other members of the teamJane Chetcuti External affairs committeeNicola Kearton External affairs committeeMarilyn Sayers Fundraising committeeRobin Mitchell Social Policy AssistantVijaya Prasad Social Policy AssistantBrenda Powell Admin SupportRobin Morgan ChaperoneLuke Dorrington Youth GatewaySean Dunwoody Youth GatewayJacob Maresca Youth Gateway

“You can see somepeople visibly relax assoon as they realise

help is at hand.”

AdvisersSally ArkwrightDodie BrooksNicola BaxterSarah BrockPeter Clarke Christine CrookesEileen DuckZofia EverettPeter Gould Julie Haines Rosalind HembryLiz HuntPeter JankeAlison JigginsDeborah KerchissJackie KingdomHelen KirkhamMargaret Legg Ian Mitchell Steven MitchellSally MoserFrances MurrayKaty RolphEve RobertsDavid RowlandLesley SibsonAnn SmithJudy ThomsonMichele Wacey Yvon Waddell Barbara Wilcox

Trainee advisersRachael HirstSusan SmithHarvey SteereRobert WardAnn WadeMichael WattsNigel Varnam

Disability Benefit TeamJudith HaslerPatricia Awbery-MaskellJune BakerDodie BrooksSue KinmonthRoy LoweLorna ManserJanice RustCatherine SmithFiona SymondsGinny Eley

Gateway AssessorsCarol ClarkeLiz CrilleySian DorringtonJanet ElseyJohn FrenchSusan GriffithGill LawsAlison LeveyMary Ann MatthewsJane MorleyJane MorrisSean O'SullivanChris PhillipsFiona SymondsLinda WalkerEvelyn WaceyTricia Wilby

Uttlesford CAB has 86 volunteers andnine part-time members of paid staff.

Our supportersWe would like to say a huge thank you to all thosewho kindly funded our work last year, includingour anonymous donors. Without your support we would not be able to help thousands of localpeople every year.

If you want to support the work of CABperhaps you could: host a fundraiser; helpwith a street collection; write to an MP abouta campaign we are supporting; become avolunteer; make a commitment to donate?Please visit our website for more details atwww.uttlesfordcab.org.ukEmail fundraiser@uttlesfordcab.org.ukor call Kate Robson on 01799 526 557

Uttlesford Citizens Advice Bureau Company Registered no. 3771142 Charity Registration No. 1078222. Citizens Advice Bureau Member no.65/0048

With thanks to ...

Citizens Advice Bureau Saffron WaldenBarnards YardSaffron WaldenEssex CB11 4EBTelephone: 0844 4775986Opening Times Monday 9.30am–3.30pm (to 5pm for phone calls)Tuesday 9.30am–3.30pmThursday 9.30am–3.30pmFriday 9.30am–3.30pm

Citizens Advice Bureau Great DunmowThe ChestnutsSuite 84 Stortford RoadEssex CM6 1DATelephone: 0844 4775986Opening Times Tuesday 9.30am–3.30pmThursday 9.30am–3.30pm

Citizens Advice Bureau ThaxtedThaxted Community Information Centre7 Town StreetThaxtedEssex CM6 2LDTelephone: 0844 4775986Opening Times (please note an appointment is required)Monday 9.30am–12.30pm

Citizens Advice BureauStansted MountfitchetSpangles Children's/Youth CentreLower StreetStansted MoutfitchetCM24 8LRTelephone: 0844 4775986Opening Times (please note an appointment is required)Thursday 9.30am–12.30pm

This report has been designed by:

www.design-mill.co.uk

Telephone 01799 540173

● Department of Health ● Nationwide Moneyactive● The Acorn Fund (managed by Essex Community Foundation)● Great Dunmow Town Council● Hastoe Housing● Stansted Airport Community Trust● Waitrose● Saffron Walden Round Table Carnival Committee● Many of Uttlesford’s Parish Councils● Intercounty● Tees Solicitors● Many lovely local clubs and groups

Other organisations who gave us or our clients practical help:● Stevens Solicitors ● Tees Solicitors● Heckford Norton Solicitors● Adams Harrison Solicitors● Taylor Vinters Solicitors● Saffron Walden United Charities● Gibson Charity● Alexia Wilson Trust