Newcastle Financial Inclusion Partnership

Transcription

1 Newcastle Financial Inclusin Partnership Debt Tlkit Our Financial Inclusin tlkits aim t help by encuraging peple t get the right advice at the right time t help t prevent a prblem becming a crisis. We knw that smetimes peple dn t knw where t turn and that financial issues can be cmplex. These tlkits prvide infrmatin f where yu can get help frm agencies that wrk with the cuncil. Our Tlkits cver the fllwing: incme & benefit take up affrdable credit and saving access t bank accunts emplyment and training digital inclusin debt husing advice illegal mney lending fuel pverty Why debt matters in Newcastle: The indicatrs belw, frm the 2011 Newcastle Fairness Cmmissin, shw why debt is a significant issue in Newcastle: 72,000 peple live in the 10% mst deprived neighburhds in the cuntry the pririty debts Newcastle CAB advised n in increased by 39% Cuncil Tax debts rse by 60%, magistrates fines by 36% & HB verpayments by 79% 11.9% f hmewners are in negative equity (Standard and Pr s 4 th quarter 2011) the average level f persnal debt is 18,254 (CCCS estimate 2010) The number f peple affected by pverty is likely t grw given the dwnturn in the ecnmy and the cuts in public sectr funding. We knw that debt is caused by a number f factrs that are best reslved by agencies wrking tgether t prmte financial inclusin..hwever we recgnise that mre can be dne t help peple in debt and that the earlier they get help the better. In the Newcastle Debt Cmpact helped 1,052 peple, whilst this number has risen ver the last year t ver 5,449 it is indicative f the relatively lw numbers f peple in need that we reach. We als knw that peple have t wait fr face t face advice and that thers wuld prefer the annymity f telephne based services. T this end we have sught t develp this tlkit by wrking with new partners particularly the nt fr prfit debt advice agencies. What difference d we want t make: We want t increase: access t and the understanding f the debt advice services available partnership wrking t reduce duplicatin and cnfusin the number f peple getting the right advice fr them preventin f hmelessness and reduce repssessins rle that infrmatin and advice givers play eg what can scial wrkers r libraries d? understanding f the value f debt advice in imprving health and well being What help is available: The debt map belw shws the free debt advice services wrking tgether in Newcastle, these are agencies that yu can trust. The descriptins f where they fit in the debt advice market are f where the majrity f their wrk sits. This partnership isn t exclusive in terms f being the nly free debt advice agencies that prvide advice in Newcastle, it is thse currently wrking in partnership t help peple vercme debt.

2 Newcastle Debt Partnership - free debt advice agencies fcus f activity Intensive Face t face advice Face t face : less cmplex care needs Free phne based advice Web based advice Fee paying advice DAWN Newcastle CAB YHN: Yur Hmes Newcastle ISOS Shelter Nrth East Fr tenants with rent arrears nly and prisners CCCS: Cnsumer Credit Cunselling Service PayPlan Fee Charging Organisatins : misc and nt included in tlkit Newcastle City Cuncil: Mney Matters Newcastle City Cuncil: Mney Matters Husing Advice Centre: preventing hmelessness via the Hmelessness Preventin Fund and the Repssessins Preventin Fund

3 Newcastle CAB (Citizens Advice Bureau ) Directry f free debt advice agencies fr Newcastle residents Newcastle CAB prvides the full range f debt advice services, frm basic budgeting infrmatin thrugh t full specialist casewrk. There is a team f 7 experienced specialist debt advisrs, all f whm are DRO intermediaries. They carry ut very detailed casewrk with clients wh have debt prblems, and will help clients maximise their incmes and btain the apprpriate slutins t their prblems whether it be thrugh negtiating with their creditrs, respnding t Curt papers, petitining fr Bankruptcy, applying fr a Debt Relief Order, making referrals t an apprpriate nn-fee charging Debt Management Plan prvider r making referrals t an IVA prvider. Access and referral rutes Newcastle CAB prvides free, cnfidential debt advice services via face-t-face interviews and by telephne. Services are accessed via the CAB drp-in sessins at the main Bureau ffice n Nelsn Street and at varius utreach sessins in cmmunity venues, 5 days a week. See ur website fr full details f ur utreaches and pening times : Phne : TyneAdviceline (Any issue) (Mnday t Friday - 10am t 4pm) r Debt Specialist Line (Debt Issues Only) (Mnday t Friday - 1:00pm t 3:30pm An answerphne is used utside f these times). CCCS: Cnsumer Credit Cunselling Service CCCS see abve ffer advice and supprt t anyne wh needs it, irrespective f the number r type f debts r whether the client qualifies fr legal help. CCCS perates a free telephne helpline which is available frm 8am t 8pm, Mnday t Friday and frm 9am until 3pm n Saturdays. Calls are free frm landlines and frm all mbile phne netwrks. The helpline advisr will carry ut an immediate assessment f the caller s situatin, t identify if there is any crisis situatin requiring immediate and emergency help. If the client is immediately presenting as having n incme, we will transfer them straight t ur team welfare benefits advisrs. In the majrity f cases, the advisr will gather sme persnal and financial infrmatin and arrange fr the client t speak t a debt cunsellr either straight away r by bking an appintment fr a call back the fllwing day at a time that suits. All ur debt cunsellrs can advise n the full range f debt slutins and all clients will receive practical mney management advice t help with living within a budget alng with advice n incme maximisatin and hw t make their mney g that bit further. Welfare Benefits Service : A service carrying which carries ut a full assessment f a clients entitlement t means and nn means-tested benefits, and then advising the client hw this impacts their strategy fr dealing with prblem debt. They can als prvide assistance with cmpleting benefit applicatins. Debt Advcacy : A telephne based service which prvides extra supprt t vulnerable clients. This includes help t clients with additinal needs due t mental health prblems, learning difficulties and physical disability. Mrtgage Cunselling : A dedicated team advising clients wh are at risk f evictin r re-pssessin. Access and referral rutes : Helpline : (pen 8am t 8pm Mn-Fri and 9am t 3pm Sat)Debt Remedy fr annymus nline debt cunselling which prvides tailred advice frm ur expert debt cunsellrs, a persnal budget shwing yur incme and utgings, practical help t make the mst f yur mney 24 hurs a day Call back buttn can be cmpleted 24 hurs a day, client can chse call back times during helpline pening hurs

4 Dawn Debt advice and casewrk by telephne fr all Newcastle residents regardless f means assessments n This telephne line is funded by the Nrthern Rck Fundatin and is integrated with face t face advice in Citizens Advice bureau acrss Nrth east England and Cumbria. The telephne line includes advice n pririty debts, bankruptcy and debt relief rders. DAWN is part f the Cmmunity Legal Advice Netwrk but this debt service is means tested British Gas Energy Trust Prject supprts: Nrth East residents struggling with utility and ther husehld debts with the aim f cntributing t the fight against pverty acrss Great Britain. Grants frm the Trust are available t help individuals and families in need t meet arrears f energy charges and ther husehld bills and csts. The Fuel Debtline helps all clients f British Gas and ther energy cmpanies Access and referral rutes Cntact via telephne available 9-5pm Mnday Thursday pm Friday Fuel Debtline available frm 9-5 Mnday - Friday PayPlan Cmprehensive advice, guidance and supprt fr anyne struggling with debt. In additin t ur advice and free t client debt slutins we are als a cmpetent authrity fr DRO prvisin where apprpriate, we have partnerships fr expert advice fr repssessin advice and are able t ffer ur clients the benefit f ur specialist services: Business debt team prviding specialist advice and slutins fr clients wishing t cntinue trading and wh are self-emplyed. Financial makever fr all clients wishing t review their day t day expenditure n prducts such as hme and car insurance, remrtgage and utility switching s we can help increase their surplus incme t pay twards their debt We ffer all clients wh require this access t ur special advice team dealing with clients whether in a plan r nt with Payplan that extra hand hlding that is ften required t reslve mre cmplicated r sensitive cases Access t Payplan plus, an intuitive n line tl allwing secure and private nline accunt management system; PayplanPlus is a unique web-based cmmunity that is available specifically fr ur clients, and is a majr part f Payplan's service t help clients achieve their gal f becming debt-free. Access and referral rutes Freephne number Website Mney Advisr website Case@payplan.cm Direct referral t ur assessment is an ptin fr case wrked referrals cntacts will be assigned n an individual agency basis. Shelter Nrth East Shelter ffers face t face specialist husing advice thrugh a team f legal advisers n all aspects f husing issues, including advising and assisting tenants with rent arrears and wh maybe als facing evictin r be at risk f pssessin prceedings. Husing and debt advice is prvided t prisners acrss the Nrth East wh are either frm Newcastle r returning t Newcastle and this wrk is carried ut within prisn Access and referral rutes Telephne: shelternrtheast@shelter.rg.uk Open Mn Fri. 9:00am 5:00pm Appintment nly basis

5 Newcastle City Cuncil Active Inclusin - Mney Matters Specialist Debt Advice Mney Matters is a specialist debt team that ffers debt and mney advice t peple wh live in Newcastle. The aim f the team is t prevent hmelessness and ther crises that are caused by financial prblems t enable residents f Newcastle t lead mre stable lives. The team is staffed by fur Active Inclusin Debt Advisers wh prvide face t face advice t vulnerable clients wh require intensive supprt and t whm telephne and web based advice is nt apprpriate. The team helps clients manage their debts better by prviding hlistic debt advice that includes: incme maximisatin, budgeting advice, negtiating affrdable repayment ffers with creditrs, practical help with curt matters, defending pssessin actin, and ther ptins. Where the clients are inslvent the team may help them write ff their debts thrugh Debt Relief Order and Bankruptcy applicatins. The face t face wrk is supprted by a Debt Adviser wh wrks as part f Active Inclusin Newcastle. This rle prvides supprt t imprve cperative wrking between advice wrkers and t supprt nn-specialist supprt wrkers t better help their clients t deal with debt. The wrker als develps infrmatin and cmmunicatins t help peple t help themselves and t knw where they can get timely supprt. The Active Inclusin Debt Advisers wrk tgether with Hmelessness Preventin Officers at the Husing Advice Centre t help peple remain in their hmes. In sme cases we can help peple thrugh the Repssessins Preventin Fund. This can be used t prvide lans r grants f between 1,000 and 3,000 and up t a maximum f 5,000 per husehld. The primary aim is t prevent repssessins r evictins where husehlds are struggling t pay their mrtgage r rent due t the ecnmic dwnturn and thrugh n fault f their wn. Access and referral rutes Telephne advice: The cuncil wrks with Newcastle Citizens Advice Bureau t prvide telephne debt advice t all residents f Newcastle wh struggle t pay their bills and debt bligatins. The Newcastle Debt Advice Telephne Line (0191) is pen frm 9:30am t 11:30am Mnday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and frm 1pm t 3.30pm Mnday t Friday. Face t face advice: Services wh help vulnerable clients can refer their clients t Mney Matters fr face t face advice. The referral frm needs t be cmpleted: Referral frm Mney Matters Debt Advisers will need t see prf f yur client s incme and they need the mst recent letters and statements fr yur client s debts. Yu can help yur clients best by helping them t gather this infrmatin and sending it tgether with the referral frm. Once cmpleted, the referral frm can be either: ed t mneymatters@newcastle.gv.uk Psted t: Mney Matters, Husing Advice Centre, Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upn Tyne, NE1 6SQ. Faxed t (0191)

6 ISOS Iss Husing ffers telephne and face t face advice t any resident experiencing difficulties related t incme and budgeting. Iss carries ut a full benefit health check t all prspective tenants, highlighting pprtunities fr thse applying fr husing t maximise incme and t access the best lcal r natinal help with managing debts. Iss als ffers a full benefits casewrk service t residents, which includes: Identifying entitlement t incme related and health related benefits Prviding advice and guidance t residents cmpleting applicatins, including ffering hme visits t cmplete frms Challenging decisins Help with appeals including Tribunal Representatin Iss is cmmitted t prmting financial and scial inclusin t residents and staff. We are actively invlved in the reductin f Fuel Pverty, in advancing the wrk f Credit Unins and thse invlved in the fight against bth irrespnsible and illegal mney lending. We act in partnership with lcal and natinal agencies t prvide training and emplyment pprtunities fr residents. Access and referral rutes By visiting any Iss ffice in persn, by calling Iss n r ing welfare.rights@isshusing.c.uk. YHN Yur Hmes Newcastle ffers a face t face service dealing with vulnerable tenants (YHN and private) wh have debt and budgeting issues. Yur Hmes Newcastle als aim t cntact all new tenants by telephne t cmplete a financial health check, which includes Maximising Incme lking at benefits that culd be claimed Ensuring HB / CTB is applied fr Utilities switching, saving etc. Minr charity applicatins Referring int credit unins Raising awareness regarding illegal mney lending YHN s Advice and Supprt Team is split int 3 services: The Outreach Team will wrk with any prspective r current cuncil tenant t help them set up r manage a tenancy. There is an Advice and Supprt Wrker based in every husing ffice t help yu The Refugee Mve-n Team wrks with peple wh have just been granted leave t stay in the UK and have t leave their asylum accmmdatin. The Pathways Team is a husing related supprt service which aims t give vulnerable peple Pathways int independent living and prevent hmelessness. This team is made up f a number f services: Supprted Accmmdatin mve n, Hspital Discharge, Drug and Alchl, Mental Health and Private Rented Sectr Access and referral rutes Online referral which can be fund at By visiting any lcal Husing Office Mnday t Friday 8.30am 4.30pm Wednesday 8.30am 3.00pm By calling YHN s main ffice n Mnday t Friday 8.30am 4.30pm Wednesday 8.30am 3.00pm

7 What are the ptential triggers fr debt Peple with learning difficulties Peple with severe and enduring mental health prblems Peple living ff their verdrafts due t ver cmmitments and rise in cst f living, i.e. petrl and fd Unemplyment including a reductin in full time emplyment Sudden drp in husehld incme due t health prblems etc as many families dn t have savings fr emergencies Life changing events e.g. bereavement, birth f a child, relatinship break dwn Fuel pverty Families -Relying n cmpanies t lease essential husehld items n hire purchase Peple accessing Payday lans Financial exclusin many peple dn t have basic bank accunt, dn t have access t the internet and reliance n mbile phnes (high csts). Peple less likely t be able t shp arund fr the best deal t save mney Hw making a referral t these agencies can help yur clients The fllwing are utcmes that may ccur fllwing yur referral Preventin f hmelessness Reduce weekly amunts paid due t recver rent and/r cuncil tax arrears Suspend recvery actin enfrced by bailiffs and ther bdies Reduce payments t pririty creditrs. Fr peple in receipt f means tested benefits pririty creditrs can accept a minimum payment f 3.55 per week Offer 1.00 a mnth payments t nn pririty creditrs until the family situatin imprves Change f energy suppliers t increase efficiency savings. Ptential referral t the Energy Centre Budgeting e.g. lk fr bargains in the supermarket and suggest planning meals t avid waste Try and maintain essential expenditure e.g. insurances fr car Debt Relief Order- fr debts under 15,000, assets under and cars valued under Csts t apply. Hwever, strict criteria t apply Bankruptcy if a Debt Relief Order is nt an ptin charge applies.

8 The infrmatin that will help in making a referral 1) Husehld makeup 2) Husehld incme and expenditure 3) Details f all debts The fllwing resurce is a web based tl frm the Mney Advice Service that takes yu thrugh a budget planner (incme and expenditure) Althugh mst agencies will carry ut there wn incme and expenditure calculatins wrking thrugh this exercise with yur client will help them prepare fr this prcess. What difference have we made Newcastle Debt Cmpact Outcmes (knwn) Ttal n. f clients 1,052 5,449 Value f debts written ff 1,510,411 3,158,536 Ttal h/less prevented Value f pririty debts 5,323,979 Value f nn pririty debts 6,554,955 The abve table illustrates the knwn impact free debt advice services have had in tackling debt and preventing hmelessness in Newcastle ver the last tw years. It als shws that by wrking tgether we can help mre peple. The figures abve nly reflects what rganisatins are currently able t mnitr and the true impact will be significantly mre as many Newcastle Debt Cmpact members perate in a reginal and/r natinal basis and currently are nt able t mnitr impact at city level. By wrking in partnership and develping perfrmance mnitring via this cmpact is it envisaged that in years t cme we can give a better picture f the impact f these free debt advice services.

9 Hw can rganisatins get invlved? If yu r yur rganisatin wuld like mre infrmatin abut the wrk we are ding t tackle indebtedness in Newcastle and t prmte financial inclusin, please cntact: Claire Hrtn Prject Manager (Active Inclusin Newcastle), Newcastle City Cuncil claire.hrtn@newcastle.gv.uk Phne: