Citizens Advice Bureau Annual Report 2023/24

The Glasgow (Central) Citizens’ Advice Bureau is a company Limited by Guarantee Company Number 146212. Registered as a charity by the OSCR Number SC001130, Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority FRN 617459 Registered Office Level 3, The Mitchell Library, 201 North Street, Glasgow G3 7DN Design and production Big Think Agency. We wish to thank: Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Life, Citizens’ Advice Scotland, The Robertson Trust, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, The National Lottery Community Fund (Awards for All) Glasgow Helping Heroes, and others for financial and other forms of support. Special thanks to the volunteers, Board of Directors and staff for their loyalty and commitment. Opening Hours: Mondays to Fridays 09.00 -17.00 Drop-in Service: Mondays to Fridays 09.30 - 16.30 Telephone Reception and Switchboard 0141 552 5556 Email office@glasgowcentralcab.casonline.org.uk Reception and Switchboard 0141 552 5556 Website www.glasgowcentralcab.org.uk Case Study 1 Money Worries A client, living in a private let with his wife and two children, was referred to the CAB by a Casework Team of the Glasgow City Council for benefits and debt advice. He was recovering from alcohol dependency and was admitted to a psychiatric hospital after considering suicide. He had amassed £30,395.55 of debt, mainly across bank loans and credit cards. The client had been made redundant with his last day of employment two months earlier. Due to loss of earnings he was awarded Universal Credit and had submitted claims for Adult Disability Payment, Child Benefit, Scottish Child Payment, Council Tax Reduction, and Best Start Grant. Recently he had accepted an HNC in Health Care course at a college. The CAB adviser completed an income and expenditure and list of creditors for the client which identified no disposable income. Possible debt solutions were discussed based on his circumstances regarding informal options (e.g. payment plans, full and final settlements, mental health write offs, etc.) as well as statutory based solutions (e.g. Sequestration, DAS, Trust Deed, etc.). He was given budgeting advice such as signing up for a social tariff for his broadband as he was in receipt of UC. He was provided with foodbank vouchers and a crisis grant of £100 from the Scottish Welfare Fund to support him until his next UC payment. The client asked about childcare costs with Universal as well as whilst being a student. After careful consideration of all the debt solutions available to him, he opted for Full Administration Bankruptcy (FAB) as a suitable means. The CAB Adviser submitted the client’s FAB to the Accountant in Bankruptcy which was later awarded and confirmed through the Register of Insolvencies. The client expressed his thanks for the support provide and claimed that “it was a big weight off his mind and will help him in his recovery” . Case Study 2 Making a Difference The client presented having difficulty claiming Universal Credit and accessing his GP. His command of English was limited. He was residing in homeless accommodation. The CAB adviser contacted his Caseworker to arrange an appointment with an Interpreter present. The client admitted to suicide ideation and had been suffering from severe depression. He found it difficult to book an appointment with his GP for his prescription medication. His condition was exacerbated being under pressure to attendweekly appointments at the Jobcentre for Universal Credit. He felt extremely lonely and had lost hope. The client hadbeen intheasylumprocessforalmost4yearswithoutseeinghisfamilyforover5years.When leavinghishomecountryhisdaughterwasoneyearold. He agreed to the CAB the adviser contacting his GP to inform themof his situation. The GP later provided a prescription and a Fit Note. The CAB adviser emailed the client’s Local PartnershipManager at Universal Credit to appraise him of the situation. This resulted inwork commitments being removed and no further appointments at the Jobcentre. The CAB adviser also contacted his Homeless Caseworker at theGlasgowCity Council which led to hismoving out of an hotel and into a Temporary Furnished Flat. To help maximise his income the adviser assisted with an application for Adult Disability Payment andWork Capability Assessment awards fromwhichbecame £204per week (£10,608per year). This interventionhelped lift the client’s depression, improve his lifestyle, gave him hope and enabled him to support his family and children to enter the UK on a family reunion visa. Case Study 3 Multiple Issues A client presented at the drop-in for advice on income related benefits after fleeing domestic abuse. He was a refugee with Leave to Remain, had mental health issues, spikes of anxiety and was living in temporary accommodation with his 8 year old daughter. It emerged that health related benefits became pertinent. Initially the problemwas over a newUniversal Credit claimand JobCentre appointment for verification. Since the Biometric Residence Permit for the client’s childwas yet to be dispatched, their immigration lawyer previously responsible for their asylumclaim, was contacted to escalate the case. The client returned with the Biometric Residence Permit and was assisted with the online Universal Credit journal to claim the Child Element. Also, an Adult Disability Payment application was made. The client then elaborated on the effects that surviving Intimate Partner Violence had on performing Daily Living tasks. A request was made for a Redetermination for a rejected Scottish Child Payment claim. He returned with Social Security Scotland award letters, one saying the Scottish Child Payment decision had been overturned, the other declaring an unsuccessful Adult Disability Payment claim. However, some inaccuracies were found and a Redetermination Form with substantive evidence was submission. Later a successful Adult Disability Payment Redetermination was confirmed. This award would passport extra benefits with a Disabled National Entitlement Card allowing free bus travel with a companion, and a Disabled Persons Railcard providing a one-third reduction to most National Rail ticket prices. Benefits considerations were given to the transfer from temporary accommodation to a housing association tenancy. This verified the Housing Element of Universal Credit. A Child Benefit application was mailed to the DWP and an online application for a Universal Credit based Council Tax Reduction was submitted to the Glasgow City Council. The client gained £8,721.36 of Universal Credit but by opting to pay rent directly from UC this annualised the award to £13,387.80. The Scottish Child Payment eligibility gave another £1,388.40 over a year. The successful Redetermination of the Adult Disability Payment application, when backdated, gave another £5,698.91. The Council Tax bill was lowered by £1,314.63.