Citizen Advice Bureaux Money Advice Case Studies

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1 Citizen Advice Bureaux Money Advice Case Studies GUILDFORD (Q1) - CASE STUDY 1 Client (aged 56) occupies a 3-bedroom house owned by the local authority under a periodic secure tenancy that was originally held in the joint names of client and his mother, who passed away in November There had been no previous succession therefore client succeeded to the tenancy which is now held in his sole name. The full rental charge for the property is per week. Client is unemployed and in receipt of per week ESA, plus per week Housing Benefit towards his housing costs, leaving him to pay the shortfall of per week from his ESA. Client underwent surgery on his left knee in August 2010 and therefore has limited mobility. He is also suffering from depression and anxiety following the death of his mother for whom he cared for many years. Client has been referred to New Thoughts a new service for clients with mild to moderate mental health issues and attended an assessment appointment earlier this year which found that client indicated symptoms of moderate/severe depression and mild anxiety. Client has been offered sessions with the High Intensity CBT therapist. Client accepts that he needs to move to accommodation more suitable for his needs, and was offered the tenancy of a 2 nd floor flat without lift which client refused. His application for a Transfer has been placed in Band A to reflect the fact that he is under occupying the property, however he is finding the process difficult to cope with and feels that he is being forced into accepting unsuitable accommodation. Action: The bureau made an application to the local authority for Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) on client s behalf, to meet the shortfall between the full rental charge for the premises, and his entitlement to Housing Benefit, and liaised with the local authority regarding the offer of suitable alternative accommodation. Outcome: A DHP award of per week was granted for the period 1 st April 2013 to 29 th September 2013 enabling client to keep his rent account up to date and retain his tenancy whilst looking for suitable alternative accommodation. GUILDFORD (Q1) - CASE STUDY 2 Client (aged 49) occupies a room with shared kitchen and bathroom under a Licence Agreement that commenced on the 2nd April The property is owned by a local Housing Association and is a hostel within the meaning of section 622 of the Housing Act Client is hoping to move to Plymouth to be near his mother and Aunt, however he recently viewed and refused the offer of a self-contained studio flat as he felt it was too small. Client did not realise the full implication of his refusal and has now been served with a Notice Terminating his licence with effect from 15th May Client is being supported by Oakleaf, a Mental Health Charity working as a social enterprise to provide vocational training for those suffering from mental health issues. Client requested assistance from the bureau in appealing against the decision to terminate his licence, and a hearing was scheduled for the following day. Client is hoping that his licence can be extended to enable him to continue his search for alternative accommodation in Plymouth. Action: Due to the short notice, the bureau was unable to attend the hearing, arranged for client s appeal, but wrote to client s landlord on his behalf, enclosing a letter of authorisation. Outcome: Client s licence was extended for 3 months to enable him to continue looking for alternative accommodation in Plymouth. GUILDFORD (Q2) - CASE STUDY 3 Working couple with 3 children living in LA property were not entitled to HB or CTR. Their rent account was in arrears and they had a Housing Benefit overpayment. Clients had been served with a NOSP and had already reduced the total arrears from 2, by paying a lump sum. They wanted help to understand what they needed to do and to understand fully that their property was at risk if they didn t make and keep arrangements to pay off arrears. Action/outcome: We prepared Personal Budget Sheet for client and confirmed that an arrangement to pay per month was affordable and agreed this with the Local Area Housing Manager. They are maintaining this payment. 1

2 GUILDFORD (Q2) - CASE STUDY 4 Single, pregnant client living in council accommodation was working full time but with multiple debt including CT and rent arrears. Ex-partner was to pay rent arrears but action was being taken for CT. Action/outcome: Working with client identified DRO would be best option and would allow fresh start. Council holding collection. GUILDFORD (Q2) - CASE STUDY 5 Single parent on SSP had multiple debts including rent and CT arrears. Worked with client on Financial Statement and agreed to progress to DRO as her best option for debt remedy. Action/outcome: Worked with client to understand her budget so that she can keep out of debt once DRO is in place. GUILDFORD (Q2) - CASE STUDY 6 Client with depression following loss of job and break up of marriage had his entitlement to JSA suspended following his failure to attend a work related interview. His entitlement to HB was also suspended when GBC had a notice from the DWP that JSA was suspended. Client advised that he did not attend his first work related interview because he felt guilty about the fact that he was no longer able to support his family and was ashamed to be seen entering the Jobcentre Plus Office. At the time he had no idea that his failure to attend this interview would lead to the temporary suspension of his benefits. Client lived in private rented with 2 sons who were in full time education. He had built high rent arrears as well as council tax arrears and had other multiple debts. Action: We worked with client to put benefits back into good order and considered debt remedy options for client. We contacted the local authority on client s behalf and explained that the client has debt problems and is preparing to apply for a DRO. Outcome: In the light of this information GBC have agreed to postpone taking further action for 60 days having already obtained Liability Orders in respect of unpaid Council tax for the outstanding amounts. Managing agents for the property were approached to hold action on rent arrears whilst benefits were resolved. GUILDFORD (Q2) - CASE STUDY 7 Client occupies a 2-bedroom HA flat. Client works part-time as a carer and her partner works full time, but is currently serving a 3 months prison sentence. Client has fallen behind with the rent with arrears of over 3K and a Suspended Order for Possession of the property was granted with terms for payment at current rent plus per week to reduce the arrears. Arrears had reduced to 1, but the terms of the Order had not been complied with, and the client s landlord has applied for a Warrant to evict client from her home. Action/outcome: We supported the client s successful application to suspend the warrant and to vary the terms of the previous Court Order to enable the client to reduce the arrears by instalments of per week. GUILDFORD (Q2) - CASE STUDY 8 Client was long term tenant of 1-bedroom HA flat. Client suffers from depression and schizophrenia and is in receipt of ESA, DLA, full HB and CTR. Client had SPO on terms of 2.75 per week for arrears but this was not complied with and landlord is threatening to make an application to the County Court for a Warrant authorising his eviction from the premises. 2

3 Action: We advised client about the process and rights of the landlord and explained that the client must ensure that payments are made on a regular basis (i.e. weekly or fortnightly rather than monthly). Outcome: The bureau wrote to the HA to request that direct deductions to be made from client's ESA to reduce rent arrears by instalments which was approved. GUILDFORD (Q4) - CASE STUDY 9 Homeless Prevention - Recently widowed client (50) living in GBC property with 7 children had rent arrears for which she believed there were arrangements in place but no detail and possession action threatened. Rent had been being paid from husband s bank account which was due to be frozen. Advice was given on how to open a new bank account. Client was receiving tax credits and child benefit but didn t think they got help with rent or council tax and no detail known on this. Benefit check and advice on claiming bereavement benefits and funeral payments given as well as how to notify DWP and GBC of change of circumstances. Client told to keep rent account paid and if SPO then arrangements for arrears had to be maintained. 4 of client s children were non-dependent and gave details of deductions from benefits for housing. Explained they needed / would be assumed to contribute to household expenditure. The client s actual housing debt was established. For example, CT arrears in husband s sole name written off and the rent account and housing benefit overpayment details were received and explained to her to ensure her account was kept in good order. GUILDFORD (Q4) - CASE STUDY 10 Homeless Prevention - Client whose children had now left home has been in her 3 bedroomed council property for 16 years. She wants to retain the family home and with council permission she was letting rooms to students. She works at 2 jobs and doesn t have any benefit income. Over last years she was divorced, had a heart attack and had a stomach tumour which had contributed to erratic payments. The council were taking possession action for recent arrears but these were low and paid off by the court date. We completed defence forms and liaised with court desk where they successfully defended claim. Emphasis that client needed to avoid erratic payments and take further support and money advice from CAB. GUILDFORD (Q4) - CASE STUDY 11 Homeless Prevention - The client who is single with no dependents and lives in council rented accommodation had been claiming JSA, HB and CTB until he obtained a three month contract job. When it finished he made a rapid reclaim for JSA which was paid. However, he assumed that this would also cover his HB and CTB but did not. He re-applied to GBC for HB and CTB and requested back-payment which has been refused on the basis that he should have known the process. As a consequence he had rent arrears and also CT arrears because his only income was JSA. Letters and evidence to support backdating for benefits from GBC were successful and arrears were cancelled. He now has another job and HB & CTB has stopped! GUILDFORD (Q4) - CASE STUDY 12 Homeless Prevention - 40 year old client who is partially sighted and suffers from epilepsy and mental health problems lives in a private rented 3-bedroom house with her partner who is on ESA and their 5 children (aged 8 months, 4, 10, 16 & 18). Client was benefit capped and the full rental charge for the property was not being met. The client s budget was reviewed to identify improvements. Looked at different options - 1) Consider getting into work so that s/he can claim Working Tax Credit which is exempt from the Benefit Cap if client works enough hours; 2) Can anyone in client s household get one of the benefits that means that the Benefit Cap won t apply?; 3) Move to cheaper accommodation, or negotiate a rent reduction with his/her landlord; or 4) Apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment from the local authority. 3

4 DHP application made and was successful in part to allow client time to engage with GBC for longer term solution to housing problem. PIP was awarded and benefit cap no longer applied. Client also had debt many of which were joint with her partner including Housing Benefit overpayment and CT arrears. Further work on this identified suitability of a DROs which are being progressed with grant of fees made by charities. However, DROs still not completed when couple separated and advice now on how to notify and deal with changes of circumstance. GUILDFORD (Q4) - CASE STUDY 13 Homeless Prevention - 58 year old client in 1-bedroom HA flat was medically retired from his job and was receiving ESA, private pension and housing benefit. He had applied for PIP. Client has a number of priority and non-priority debts including rent and council tax arrears. Client s personal budget was completed and payment plans were negotiated for council tax and successful claim made for DHP so rent arrears could be resolved and client would be in better position for the future. GUILDFORD (Q4) - CASE STUDY 14 Money Advice - The client is a young single mother with an 18 month old child living in a privately rented accommodation. She is unemployed, has no savings and is in receipt of social security benefits and tax credits and has two modest debts. The advice and assistance we provided include the following: - Enquiring about her social security benefits and tax credits and confirming that she does indeed receive all she is entitled to. - Preparing a Common Financial Statement to provide a budget reality check and to be used in negotiations with her creditors. - Negotiated with her creditors a reduction of about 95% in her monthly repayments thereby easing the pressure on her limited financial resources. - Enquiring about her accommodation to ensure there were no existing issues with the landlord. - Advised her about ways of reducing energy costs, such as switching and/or cheaper tariffs. GUILDFORD (Q4) - CASE STUDY 15 Money Advice - Client is a single person and lives alone in his own house. He is a pensioner and as part of his Pension Credit he receives an amount for the interest on his mortgage. He has a modest positive equity on his house. He has debts of several thousands of Pounds to various creditors. The advice and assistance we provided include the following: - Preparing a Common Financial Statement to provide a budget reality check and to be used in negotiations with creditors and to form part of an application to his local authority for assistance under the Mortgage Rescue Scheme (MRS). - Submitted an application to his local authority for MRS. This application was ultimately suspended because we negotiated with his existing lender a considerable reduction in his mortgage interest rate. This removed the risk of arrears and repossession and allowed him to remain in his house. - Assisted him in maintaining his existing debt management plan which includes monthly token repayments to his creditors. - Negotiated a 50% reduction in his monthly repayments to Thames Water. - Corresponded with a bank to clarify the position with regards to his PPI claim. Although the bank had accepted his PPI claim, they had off-set the amount against a successful claim he had made on the policy when he was off-sick leaving him entitled to no further payments from the bank. - Ensured he is in receipt of all the social security benefits he was entitled to. Upon our advice the client switched from claiming ESA to Pension Credit with about 45 per week increase in his income and other associated advantages, such as no requirement to attend work related activity meetings with the Jobcentreplus, and free prescription and dental charges. 4

5 GUILDFORD (Q4) - CASE STUDY 16 Client and partner are council tenants who have an 8 year old daughter who has Cerebral Palsy and they lost another baby last year. Client has some MH problems and partner has a learning disability. They were referred from the main bureau to MHP after they visited with their support worker. Client said everything started to fall apart when he was working as a delivery driver and had a panic attack. His GP signed him off sick and this was when his depression began. He was on ESA for a while. Client does agency work which is intermittent and this contributed to the HB problems because it means that he has to inform HB about his hours on a week by week basis. The client s depression means he cannot deal with problems and any bills and outstanding debts have been left and whilst he had been paying around 50/month to a debt management company was not sure if this covered all the debts and he didn t know full extent of his debt. Client switches suppliers and banks whenever he cannot pay so it is difficult to track down exactly what is owed and what is being paid. GBC had asked Floating Support Worker to help clients sort out finances and GBC had referred client to Ash CAB for rent arrears and, from that appeals re: DLA renewals for the daughter and partner. The support worker had identified nearly 25,000 in debts including council tax, overpaid tax credits, rent arrears, utility debt, tv licence, personal loans and overdrafts. Client now had summons to go to court for rent arrears and had an eviction order so needed a FS to take to the court. MHP contacted Ash CAB and all work brought together to minimise confusion. A financial statement for a court hearing was completed as far as possible. HB had recently been stopped and LCTS didn t cover the entire bill. To backdate HB to reduce rent arrears both clients had to provide a GP note to confirm they didn't make their HB claim at the correct time because of their mental health/learning disability but the GP will only do letters for a charge of 40 per letter which they cannot afford. Able to get HB back into payment so rent covered and evidence of their health was found at GBC so HB and LCTS backdated with going to the rent account and to the Council Tax account. The court action continued since clients had an SPO on the grounds that they pay the rent plus 5 towards the arrears and in the past such agreements had not been successful and the judge needed evidence the weekly payments are being made and clients said they had missed a couple but had caught up with them. The floating support worker explained she urged regular payments but as soon as they fall behind with a payment, GBC ed her so she can follow up with clients and this worked to ensure payments are kept up to date. MHP arranged with the court desk that client would be supported at the hearing. At the hearing the SPO was left in place and DJ Trigg included recommendation for support to be ongoing until debt repaid in the order rather than opting for another review in 4 months time. Further work was done on overall finances and calculated partner s debt at less than 15,000 allowing a DRO that would cover joint debt. Client would however need to do a Bankruptcy because of the level of debt. Neither of these debt remedies would cover the rent arrears which were the basis of the problem. Charitable funds were to be sought to help and medical evidence found by GBC would be used. Charitable funds would also be needed for the bankruptcy and DRO fees. CT arrears collection ( ) was put on hold since insolvency and holding letters sent to creditors and work continued on benefits issues. Unfortunately the client s partner s mother died and floating support worker was unable to continue working with the clients and appointments were missed and progress not made as needed. The clients are now being supported by the Family Support programme and contact is to be continued with the MHP to enable the work to remedy the situation to continue. Unfortunately the client has fallen behind again with rent repayments and GBC were due to issue a warrant on the property on Monday 5 May The client said he had kept up with the 5 payments towards his rent arrear but had worked and had gone over the threshold for HB and it had been stopped. The client said he did not understand what the threshold was and he agreed that it would be useful if someone could go over this with him so he was clear when he had exceeded it. Client said that it had worked best with support and he also said that the judge had put it in the order last time that he should get this support until the rent arrears were paid off - he is hoping this will be in his favour when he has to go back to court again over the property. GUILDFORD (Q4) - CASE STUDY 17 Couple with 10 month old baby with HA rent arrears and council tax arrears as well as 4 non-priority creditors. He had lost he job and they were now on benefit income with full housing and council tax benefits. Financial Statement completed which indicated surplus so arrangements made for both rent and council tax arrears and options given for nonpriority creditors which client was to follow up on. 5

6 GUILDFORD (Q4) - CASE STUDY 18 Client lives with his wife in a 3-bedroom property that is subject to the bedroom tax and he is looking to down-size to a 1-bedroom property. The client has a disability and mobility issues (gets DLA) and finds it difficult to walk up the stairs in his current property and is searching for a bungalow to solve this. Helped client to complete a Discretionary Housing Payment form and focused on personal budget sheet to identify way in which can mitigate problem. Client also wants help with has Housing Benefit overpayment and we have written to GBC to get further information. GUILDFORD (Q4) - CASE STUDY 19 Client lives in council accommodation with husband and 3 children - 12, 13 & 16. She works as part time cleaner but is looking for more work that fits in with school terms - second child has behavioural problems and police/social services are involved but no specific condition has been diagnosed. Client s husband works full time but is described by client as poor with money. Client was formerly declared bankrupt because she had taken on liabilities on behalf of husband. Client has disabled father but a sister does the majority of the care and claims care allowance. Client does have use of father's car, however. She has taken control of family finances and wants to address issues before debt gets out of hand. They have rent arrears with Notice seeking Possession issued but GBC said no action will be taken if client meets arrangements in place. Client also has council tax arrears but with arrangements in place to clear them. There are also water, National Insurance, catalogue and door step lender debts with payment plans in place. Working with client on Financial Statement, in particular trigger figures so that she can maintain current progress in paying off debts and managing on income. Identified that she may be entitled to Housing Benefit and client is making application for that. Challenged National Insurance debt since it was proven at time of Bankruptcy and should be written off. ASH (Q1) - CASE STUDY 1 Client profile: Widowed with 6 children and living in a 3 bedroom LA property with a secure tenancy. Presenting problem: client will be impacted by the benefits cap in July and will lose full HB so will need to fund rent of 121 per week. Has existing non-priority debts amounting to about 3000 which she is paying off. Action: Client visited a number of times by money advisor. Benefit check revealed that one of the children should be entitled to DLA and if successful she could claim carer s allowance. If claim for DLA was successful the benefit cap would not apply. Client also advised re. doing a DRO and is considering this option. Outcome: DLA application completed. Work continuing with this client. ASH (Q1) - CASE STUDY 2 Case study 2 Client profile: Single client aged 52. Has alcohol addiction, lives in 2 bedroomed LA property. Presenting problem: Client has significant rent and council tax arrears and water debt. Court action for eviction. Client s son had been living with him but rent arrears had arisen because non dependent charge had been applied. Client claimed son not living there but if not, then client under-occupying. Action/outcome Money advisor successfully negotiated to have no dependent charges removed as son had moved out last year. DHP applied for and backdated to cover additional rent due to under-occupation. Looking to downsize and cash incentive for this could be used to clear CT arrears. Work ongoing with this client. 6

7 ASH (Q1) - CASE STUDY 3 Client profile: Client aged 62 with learning difficulties, living alone in HA property. ESA stopped last November and since then he had been living off savings and low rate DLA. Presenting problem: Client had accrued rent arrears of 560 and received NOSP. Action/outcome: Money advisor identified an entitlement to Pension Credit and applied for a 3 month backdate based on nil income and the fact that client is unable to manage his affairs due to his learning difficulties. GBC agreed to backdate as client had clearly not been coping and had not sought help. Based on the provisional information from the pension providers, client will be entitled to Pension Credit so therefore passported to full HB and CT assistance. Money Advisor has applied for 3 months backdate on these benefits. ASH (Q2) - CASE STUDY 4 Client has learning difficulties and lives in a Housing Association property, a single parent with two dependent children. One of the children is disabled, and referral came from the Family Support Worker Presenting problem - Client in crisis, bailiffs calling regarding council tax, no food supplies in the house and a broken fridge. She also had rent and CT arrears and a county court fine for non-payment of TV licence. Action/outcome - Client seen a number of times by money advisor. A successful emergency application made to Local Assistance Scheme and a fridge sourced from Surrey Re-Use Network. Benefit check revealed he was entitled to the Disabled Child premium on Child Tax Credit (about 3015 p.a.) and advisor working on a back date to help clear CT and rent arrears. Advisor arranged for bailiffs to return the case to court to seek to have the payment of the fine by attachment to benefit. Work continuing with this client. ASH (Q2) - CASE STUDY 5 Client aged 63 with learning difficulties in a Council property. Presenting problem - Client referred by rent officer at GBC with rent arrears and HB overpayment. He had failed to attend an ESA work-related interview and benefit had been stopped. Client has great difficulty managing his affairs. Action/outcome - Money advisor visited client on a number of occasions and established that he should be in receipt of Pension Credit. In order to be eligible for PC client had to show he could access any available capital. With the assistance of his sister he took financial advice and decided to realise the capital on two pensions. Client is still eligible for PC which was backdated and an HB claim backdate awarded at just over A CT backdate also been agreed, ASH (Q2) - CASE STUDY 6 Client is a single parent with dependent children, an LA tenant. She was referred by GBC as she is likely to be affected by the benefit cap. Presenting problem: Client s benefit has been cut by about 1000 per week. She also has other non-priority debts. Action/outcome: The advisor established that one of the children was eligible for DLA so a claim was pursued. If this is successful, client will be exempt from the benefit cap. However in the meantime, the cap has been applied but because one of the children is no longer dependent her benefits have been reduced. As her benefit income is now less this gives an increased HB entitlement. This will make a huge difference to this client and help her to manage her budget. Work ongoing. ASH (Q3) - CASE STUDY 7 A couple living in council accommodation with a large family. Two members of the family have health problems. Presenting problem: Clients are a family of 12 who have been hit by the benefit cap and now have a shortfall of 130pw on their rent. The father has given up work to look after the children in the last couple of years, due to his wife s deteriorating health; she suffers with fibromyalgia and other health problems. She had put in a claim for DLA which was 7

8 refused but had an appeal for this in December. If successful in gaining any level of DLA care, the benefit cap will not apply to clients. Action/outcome: adviser helped with preparation of appeal and adviser attended the tribunal with her which was a gruelling experience. The appeal was upheld and the award backdated to 21/03/13. Clients can now claim Carers Allowance backdated to the same date. Benefit cap no longer applies and homelessness prevented. Benefit gains over all were 17,000 which include award of DLA care and backdate, Benefit cap removed and backdate and award of Carers Allowance plus backdate. ASH (Q3) - CASE STUDY 8 Single woman aged 24 living in council accommodation. Presenting problem: Client lost her job because of a serious injury and anxiety and depression and developed rent and council tax arrears. She had failed to apply for ESA or HB or CT Support. CT arrears were 600 and rent 350. She also had utility debts of 560. Her flat was poorly furnished and no working cooker. Action/outcome: Adviser applied for relevant benefits and negotiated repayments of the debts. Applied to a number of charities for help e.g. Poyle, Mayor s Fund and LAS for furniture and money for food and electricity. Awarded grant from Thames Water fund for 500 which cleared most of the arrears. Work continuing with this client. ASH (Q3) - CASE STUDY 9 Client is a single woman with learning disabilities and a history of drug addiction, living in two bedroomed council property Presenting problem: Client s child lives with the grandmother so client now subject to under occupation charge and has accrued rent arrears as well as other debts. Client needed help with applying for ESA and DHP and applying for a housing transfer to smaller property. Action/outcome: Adviser helped with applying for ESA and DHP and referral to Keyring for additional support because of learning disability. Currently housing not affordable and help provided with transfer to smaller property. ASH (Q3) - CASE STUDY 10 Client has serious mental health problems, history of domestic abuse and other health issues, living alone in 3 bedroomed council property Presenting problem: client had lodged an appeal of ESA two years ago. She had remained on lower rate as appeal had got lost in the system and no decision made. Client subject to under occupancy charge as children now living with ex partner. She has Council Tax and rent arrears as well as other debts. Action/outcome: Adviser contacted DWP who admitted that papers had been lost. A decision was made and appeal upheld and 3000 paid in backdated ESA. CT support and HB backdated to reflect the ESA decision. Client referred to Riverside Floating Support and to Ash ILA for Pip application. Adviser has been working with this very vulnerable client since October and work is continuing. ASH (Q4) - CASE STUDY 11 Client 56 poor health and in receipt of ESA (support group), DLA high rate mobility and middle rate care. Partner age 67, in receipt of SRP, and providing care to his wife. No HB or LCTS, they are struggling to make ends meet and have council tax arrears (with bailiffs 4k O/S) along with water arrears. Clients are struggling to pay their rent and manage their financial outgoings. Council tax for current year 1938, and weekly rent of 132. Action/Outcome 8

9 Claim for HB submitted and 3 month backdate given as partner qualifying age for Pension Credit and previously unclaimed. Carers allowance applied for backdated 3 months (they now benefit from the carers premium). Clients now have full entitlement to HB & LCTS, the backdate of HB made their rent account in credit which enabled them to pay off half their council tax arrears. Payment plan set up with bailiffs and also with water company. ASH (Q4) - CASE STUDY 12 Client 63 partner 62 both with long term health problems, client struggling to work p/t. ESA along with HB/LCTS suspended. ESA appeal outstanding which is causing a lot of stress for both clients. Rent arrears along with council tax arrears. Action/Outcome - Contact made with DWP re the suspension of ESA, an official error made re claim, suspension lifted and payment put back in place. ESA claim closed and a Pension Credit claim submitted, entitlement to full HB & LCTS, client can now give up work and now no needs to attend appeal re the ESA. Renewal of DLA also submitted. Rent and council tax arrears now cleared. ASH (Q4) - CASE STUDY 13 Client age 57 was working, had heart bypass, made redundant. Submitted a claim for ESA contribution based, claim declined, was asked to provide evidence of income to support income based claim. Client had received lump sum from redundancy and also occupational pension, and continued to live off this. Rent and council tax arrears. Action/Outcome - Contact made with ESA, challenged their decision re declining payment of ESA contribution based, provided evidence to support the claim. DWP rang to advise of their error and a large payment has now been made to client of around 5k. Rent and council tax arrears now cleared. ASH (Q4) - CASE STUDY 14 Client 49 very vulnerable in and out of hospital, because of this his benefits stopped along with his HB & LCTS. Social services are involved with client and he also has daily carers. Client in receipt of DLA high rate mobility and middle rate care. Client has rent and council tax arrears. Action/Outcome - Contact made with DWP re ESA, benefit now put back in place and a payment of over 2k will now be made to client. Full HB & LCTS now in payment. Client now in the position to clear the O/S rent and council tax arrears. ASH (Q4) - CASE STUDY 15 Client lives with husband, and 10 children, in a 4 bed GBC property. They have been hit by the benefit cap and now have a shortfall of 130 per week. This is currently being covered by DHP as clients say they cannot pay. DHP will not be long term so at risk of homelessness Neither client nor partner working, only income from income Support. Client had applied for DLA but was refused. Partner says he had to give up work to look after client and the children. Claim was on grounds of fibromyalgia. Client has appealed and has a tribunal date in a few weeks time. If client was awarded DLA the benefit cap would not apply. In addition to this her husband would be able to claim Carers Allowance, further increasing their income. Actions/Outcomes - Wrote letter on behalf of client explaining how her illness affects her. Attended tribunal with client, Dec 13. After a very long, very tough tribunal client was awarded DLA, middle rate care, backdate to March 13. Benefit Cap lifted full HB reinstated and backdated to March 13, DHP funds reimbursed by HB payment, partner now able to make a claim for CA = Benefit gains of 17,000 + Increase in income Homelessness prevented 9