Citizens advice newcastle annual report 2014 15

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Newcastle Annual Report 2014/15

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Annual Report 2014/15

Volunteers, Staff, Trustees & Directors 2014/15 Volunteers Feras Abushagar Advisor Yasmin Ahmad Advisor Pauline Bailey Advisor Toby Baines Advisor Nick Beacock Administrator Lewis Blenkinsopp Advisor Marc Boivin Advisor Sylvia Campbell Advisor and Volunteer Representative Lesley Carr Advisor - AdviceLine Yvonne Carr Advisor - outreach sessions Zoe Carre Advisor Craig Carey Advisor Priscilla Chan Advisor Alison Clarke Administrator Megan Craig Advisor Baird Cross Advisor Caroline Daley Advisor Caroline Dean Advisor Matthew Dell Advisor Neil Devlin Advisor and Volunteer Representative Maria Dodds Advisor Rebecca Dods Advisor Ella Doshi Advisor Claire Eastwood Advisor George Edwards Advisor Richard Evens Advisor - AdviceLine Heather Ewington Advisor Jonathan Fuller Advisor Joan Gardner Advisor Kathy Germain Advisor Win Gibson Equalities Support Karen Gillie Advisor Faith Goodfellow Advisor and Social Policy Jessica Graham Advisor Kerry Graham Advisor Jane Greenwood Advisor Chris Hall Advisor Michael Hicks Advisor Peter Holt Advisor Gemma Hughes Advisor Sandra Jordan Advisor Caroline Laidlaw Advisor Maria Laidlaw Advisor Lorraine Lambert Advisor Kieran Lawson Advisor Claire Leith Advisor Stephanie Liversidge Advisor Oliver Lovett Advisor

(left for paid employment Caroline Ludlow Advisor

October 2014) Karl Lynch Advisor Emma McNichol Advisor

Rita Malik Advisor Natascha Matten Advisor Geetha Mazarelo Advisor Alan Miller Advisor Sara Morell Advisor Margaret Morrison Advisor Alastair Naismith Advisor Margaret Oliver Advisor Vanessa Oliver Advisor Jean Parven Advisor Robert Parsons Advisor Maria Peacock Advisor and Volunteer Representative Klarita Poshnjari Advisor Eileen Purvis Social Policy Tom Quigley Planning Advisor Mick Quille Advisor Terry Ray Advisor Irene Riley Advisor Jenny Roberts Advisor Emily Robertson Advisor Princess Rodrigo Advisor Max Romanovich Advisor Josh Rutherford Advisor Florence Ryan Advisor Adam Sidlow Advisor Alejandra Silvera Advisor Christine Simon Advisor Alex Simpson Advisor George Smith Advisor Mike Smith Advisor Paris Smith Advisor Rachel Southern Advisor Emma Stamp Advisor Rachel Southern Advisor Ian Spencer Advisor

(Retired September 2014) Tom Summers Advisor Pam Swift Advisor

(Moved Away December 2014) Deborah Tait Advisor Joan Thomas Advisor Andrew Thompson Advisor Catherine Weaver Advisor Rina Varghese Advisor Anne Wadsworth Advisor Amy Walton Advisor Sheila Weddell Advisor Jane Williams Advisor Alex Wood Advisor

Staff Rachel Affleck Shona Alexander Tracy Armstrong Helen Card

Debt Advisor Chief Executive Advice Services Manager Fuel Debt Advisor

(appointed October 2014) Tracey Carr Debt Advisor Lesley Childs Senior Advice Session Supervisor Jim Curry Debt Advisor Caroline Dean Advisor (part-time) Nicola Diston Consumer Empowerment

Officer (part time) Geoff Dryden Finance Development

Officer (part time) Jane Fletcher Debt Advisor (part-time) Rachel Gibson Administrator (part-time) Claire Iredale Office Manager Stuart Keilty Volunteer and Training

Co-ordinator / Advice

Session Supervisor (from

January 2015) Carole Keith Outreach Advisor and Advice

Session Supervisor Stuart Lord Debt Advisor Rob Lowdon Advice Session Supervisor

(resigned January 2015) Craig Lydon Debt Advice Team Supervisor Alison Marsh Debt Advisor Linda Mael Administrator Tribe Mkwebu Welfare Benefits Advisor Joan Unwin Advice Session Supervisor

(retired July 2014) Susan Wakenshaw Administrator Peter Wilson AdviceLine Manager Andrew Young Welfare Benefits Advisor

(Transferred to Byker

Community Trust March 2015) Andrew Young Research and Campaigns

Officer (appointed August 2014) Sue Straker Debt Advisor

Trustees and Directors Richard Harris Nadeem Ahmad John Chan Tony Crawley Sangeet Jaidka Barry Hutchinson

Ian Mackintosh Kate Nicklin Stuart Parker Christine Purdon Keith Reed Scott Steele

Chair Treasurer Vice Chair (from November 2014)

WITHOUT THE DEDICATION AND HARD WORK OF ALL OF YOU NEWCASTLE CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU WOULD NOT PREVAIL WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.

Annual Report 2014/15

Chair’s Annual Report 2014/15 Newcastle CAB was set up in 1939 to give free, confidential and independent advice to people living in the City. We work to relieve poverty, help people to understand their rights and responsibilities, and tackle injustice, inequality and unfair treatment on their behalf. We are non-judgemental, seeking only to support those who come to us for help.

Our services have again been much in demand this year. This is a reflection of the financial and other hardships facing many Newcastle residents, and the impact of big changes to the welfare benefit system which particularly affects the poorest in our community. Increasingly we are seeing clients who are in crisis because of a benefit sanction, reduced hours at work, or family illness which means they struggle with day-to-day living.

The Trustee Board has worked hard to ensure that the charity is making best use of all our resources, and driving forward changes which improve our services to clients. We have been successful in securing new funding from a local trust and business. This means that our funding base is more diverse, and the Trustees are keen to develop this further.

We have continued to learn from our data breach which occurred in September 2013, and ensure that we do everything possible to prevent such a thing ever happening again. This includes carrying out an independent audit by information assurance specialists at Newcastle University, and compiling our “Lessons Learned� report both of which we have submitted to the Information Commissioner.* We are again very grateful to the University staff for all their expertise, advice and kind assistance which has been a huge support to staff and trustees.

All of our services rely on the sheer hard work and commitment of all our Trustees, staff and volunteers. I am very grateful to you all for everything you do to help our clients, especially those who are in despair about their problems and for whom we provide a much needed safety net.

No doubt the year ahead will bring further challenges and growing demands for our services. I am confident that Newcastle CAB is well placed to meet these effectively, seizing every opportunity to sustain and improve our advice services still further.

Richard Harris Chair of Trustees

* On Friday 18 September 2015 the ICO confirmed that there will be NO financial penalty, nor any corrective action required from the bureau.

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Annual Report 2014/15

Chief Executive’s Report 2014/15 This year we again helped many thousands of local people. Our decision to develop phone advice has proven very successful, as it enables us to help more clients, and give them advice at an early stage. We are also now giving limited advice by e-mail, and this too has the potential to help more clients. However, sometimes there is no better way to advise clients than by a face-to-face interview. Many of them struggle with their paperwork, let alone on-line services. They prefer to discuss their problems in person, and then our advisors can take action on their behalf. Very often they have tried to resolve their problems themselves by contacting government departments, fuel providers and other businesses by phone, but have ended up angry and frustrated by the lack of progress.

Throughout the year almost 100 volunteers helped us to run our advice services. This includes some younger volunteers, from Gosforth Academy, whose energy, enthusiasm and eagerness to learn makes them highly valued and popular members of our team.

We have also taken on several work experience placements from Job Centre Plus, and three of these were successful in gaining paid employment as a direct result of their time with us. We are keen to continue with these placements and support people into paid jobs.

Once again we are very grateful to all our funders for their continuing support. In particular Newcastle City Council continue to fund our core services which in turn enables us to secure funding for specific projects. We have again worked closely with Councillors and officers across the authority and we greatly value the support we have had from them all, especially when their own funding and services are reducing all the time.

This year we have had two new projects which have been a great asset to our work. For the first time ever we have a paid Research and Campaigns Officer, funded by the Millfield House Foundation. This means that we can effectively campaign on behalf of our clients, working closely with Citizens Advice, local universities, and the press and media. We also have a dedicated fuel debt advisor, funded by Northern Powergrid which means that we have particular expertise in helping clients to sort out their fuel problems, and save money on their energy bills.

Newcastle CAB is fortunate to have such skilled and able trustees, staff and volunteers. I would like to thank everyone for their hard work and commitment again this year. I am confident that our bureau is well placed to meet the many and varied challenges which lie ahead.

Shona Alexander Chief Executive

Annual Report 2014/15

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Our Vision We share the vision that everyone will be able to access free advice to find a way forward.

Our Mission We provide local people with advice which helps them to overcome their problems. We campaign on big issues which affect their lives, when their voices need to be heard.

Our Charitable Objects We promote the advancement of education, the protection and preservation of health and the relief of poverty, sickness and distress.

We are committed to promoting equality and diversity, preventing prejudice and discrimination, ensuring equal access and promoting good relations between all sections of the community.

A planned and strategic approach to helping our clients find a way forward Advice and education:

We provide integrated advice that applies a holistic diagnostic assessment to deliver a thorough service for our clients. We help people find a way forward, and develop the skills to prevent a similar scenario arising again.

Research and campaigns:

We use our data, networks and experience together with clients to get their voices heard on important issues. Our policy research and campaigning attempts to tackle the root causes of problems and improve the policies, practises and regulations that affect people’s lives.

How we work:

We also create benefit to society through the way we provide our services. This covers the social value of working with over 80 volunteers, our active role in the community, close associations with strategic partners and the benefits of being part of a national network.

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Annual Report 2014/15

Our Business Principles: The Trustee Board reviewed their Business and Development Plan in January 2015. The new Plan, for 2015 – 2020 states that our advice services are: • Free - no-one has to pay for the services we provide • Confidential - we don’t disclose anything a client tells us - or even the fact that they’ve visited us - without their permission • Independent - we always act in the interests of our clients, without influence from any outside bodies • Impartial - we don’t judge our clients or make assumptions about them. Our service is open to everyone, and we treat everyone equally

Our Core Business Objectives: 1. Continue to develop Citizens Advice Newcatle as a centre of excellence, providing high quality advice services which are among the best in the country; 2. Expand and improve the provision of Citizens Advice Newcastle’s services across the City and the wider sub region, working in close partnerships with other CABx, particularly those in Tyne & Wear and Northumberland; 3. Sustain and develop a highly knowledgeable team of paid staff and volunteers who are continually improving through appropriate training and career development; 4. Achieve a better 50 – 50 gender balance on the Trustee Board (currently 9 men and 3 women) 5. Seek to extend the main bureau’s core opening hours to 9.00am – 5.00pm, Monday to Friday, while retaining the later service on Thursdays, 5.00 – 6.00pm 6. Further develop the provision of our advice services via telephone and e-mail, in addition to traditional face-to-face advice sessions; 7. Work closely with Newcastle City Council and other members of the Newcastle Advice Compact to provide co-ordinated advice services which are easily accessible for clients, and which maximise all the available resources.

The Public Need For Our Services Currently the main bureau is open to the public for face-to-face advice five days a week, 10.00am – 1.00pm. We regularly have to close the external doors because the waiting room is full to capacity, which is very unpopular with clients.

There are very clear patterns of demand for our services, with Monday at 10.00am being the busiest time. The Trustee Board have recently agreed to increase the post of Advice Session Supervisor from part time to full time, to give much needed capacity to the advice sessions. We will also review our opening hours to see if they can be extended, as this may help to spread the demand more evenly across the week. We have also identified some structural changes which we could make to the layout of the first floor of our premises which could improve our customer flow. The bureau used to run Saturday morning sessions, but these ceased in 2013 because of funding cuts and also because the advice and help we can provide on Saturdays is very limited because no other public services, such as DWP, the City Council, or the Job Centres are open.

Annual Report 2014/15

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Over the last two years, the bureau has developed telephone advice, in partnership with Gateshead and North Tyneside bureaux, as part of national Citizens Advice’s AdviceLine. This operates from 10.00am – 4.00pm, Monday – Friday, and is heavily reliant on volunteer advisors. At present we are only meeting around 40% of the demand from callers, so we know that there is a need to extend this service.

Many clients are referred to us from other organisations, in the private, public and voluntary sectors. Most government departments refer people to their local CAB for advice as do the police, NHS services and private solicitors. There has been a sharp increase in referrals from local law firms because of the cuts in legal aid.

We anticipate that these referrals will increase further as public sector cuts are implemented, and so we are working with new partners in all the sectors to see if together we can set up innovative projects supported by new funding streams. This currently includes a local law firm, and a utility provider.

In 2014-15 Citizens Advice Newcastle dealt with 9,087 clients regarding 24,251 different problems.

Debt Benefits & tax credits Consumer (non-financial) Housing Employment Other Relationships & family Legal Financial products services Immigration & asylum Health & community care Discrimination 0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

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Annual Report 2014/15

Main Client Enquiries At Citizens Advice Newcastle in 2014 -15

Debt 43% Benefits & tax credits 27% Housing 5% Employment 5% Relationships & family 3% all other 17%

Who Benefits from Citizens Advice Newcastle Services?

Our advice is available free of charge, to anyone living or working in the City.

However, our priority is to help those people who are least able to help themselves because of poverty, illness, disability, discrimination or other hardship. We work closely with Newcastle City Council to support their “Active Inclusion” agenda, and target our outreach work to the areas with the highest indices of multiple deprivation (IMD wards). Although we currently provide outreach advice sessions in Benwell, Cowgate, Byker and Blakelaw, we wish to extend these to the Walker, West Denton and Newbiggin Hall areas.

“Since Citizens Advice Newcastle has been able to help me it is like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders.”

Debt client feedback 2015

Annual Report 2014/15

Glenda The Lenda goes shopping in the Grainger Market to publicise the dangers of using illegal money lenders

How Do They Benefit?

Citizens Advice Newcastle helps people to cope with their problems, and improves the quality of life for both them and their families. Our advice helps to keep people out of court, in their own homes, in jobs, and out of NHS care.

We also help people to get justice, stay together as families, and steer clear of criminal activity, particularly loan sharks. Traditionally, the bureau has concentrated on client numbers and quality of advice audits as Key Performance Indicators. However, funders are becoming much more interested in client outcomes as a measure of our work, and this is an area of client follow-up work which we need to develop further.

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Annual Report 2014/15

Citizens Advice Newcastle - Impact 2014-15 Overall value (advice and volunteering) Fiscal benefit total 2014/15 £

£1,429,161

Public value total 2014/15 £

£8,162,665

For every £1 invested in Newcastle CAB: For every £1, £x in fiscal benefit total 2014/15

£2.82

For every £1, £x in public value total 2014/15

£12.35

For every £1, £x in benefits to individuals total 2014/15

£15.37

Savings to other government departments NHS

£239,135

DWP

£1,099,013

Housing providers

£516,113

Value of advice provision Fiscal benefit of advice provision total £

£2,101,232

Public value of advice provision total £

£8,793,542

Benefits to individuals of advice provision total £

£11,442,084

Value of volunteering Public value of volunteering total £

£403,119

Value to individuals in Newcastle upon Tyne Value of benefits advice

£7,970,263

Value of debt advice (debts-written off)

£3,327,950

Value of consumer advice Total

£143,851 £11,442,084

“Sue was a very nice lady. She never made me feel like it was my fault even though I was ashamed of myself for getting into this situation. She was very fair and understood. The help I got made a fresh start for me.” Ms X, Byker

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Number of people assisted by food banks over the last year in the North East.

1st April 2014 - 31st March 2015

Children 35,246 Adults 52,447

Since April 2014 November 2015 Citizens Advice Newcastle have issued 584 Food Bank vouchers.

• Child poverty rate in Newcastle is 33% • Newcastle is in the 20% most deproved districts in the UK • Approx. 500 people are sanctioned in Newcastle every month • Newcastle is a payday loan hotspot. It has the most payday loans per person in the UK.

Advice that positively changes lives Before our advice nearly 3 in 4 clients experienced negative impacts as a result of their problems:

2 in 3

felt stressed, depressed or anxious

Nearly 1 in 3

has less money or escalating financial difficulties

Over 1 in 5

had to move home or worried about losing it

Nearly 1 in 3

felt their physical health had got worse

Nearly 1 in 5

has difficulties in relationships with other people

1 in 10

struggled to keep their job or find a job

After our advice 4 in 5 clients said our help also improved their life in other ways, such as:

4 in 5

felt less stressed, depressed or anxious

1 in 2

had more money or control over their finances

Nearly 1 in 4

had a more secure housing situation

Nearly 1 in 2

felt their physical health had improved

1 in 5

has better relationships with other people

Nearly 1 in 5 found it easier to do their job or find a job

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Annual Report 2014/15

Debt Overview Citizens Advice work together with clients to assess their liabilities, draw up a financial statement and identify ways to resolve their problems. Our specialist casework cover everything from negotiations with creditors to processing debt relief orders (DROs).

Female 52, Lives alone in social housing.

Due to sickness the client was off work for a while and took a significant income shock. In this period she accrued the following arrears, £1301 rent, £490 council tax, £313.90 credit card, £90 unsecured loan, £1181 fuel/ utility bills.

“I have been finding it hard to make ends meet due to my bad health. Although I’m working now I am only on zero hours contract for the NMW so it’s tough to budget. It’s all got too much and it has really built up in the last couple of months. I just need some breathing space and that is why I came to Citizens Advice.”

Advice steps we took • Undertake a diagnostic assessment of the client’s whole situation to determine all relevant advice areas.

• Assist client in compiling a Common Finical Statement to show all income/expenditure.

This is them analysed as follows: • Explore sources of alternative income • Verify any usually high outgoings • Classify creditors and prioritise debt repayments • Assess the individual’s financial capability Advised upon tailored debt solutions: direct and negotiated agreement with creators - payment plan/ holding letter until client’s financial circumstances could improve.

What Similar Services Are Currently Available?

No other agency in the City provides the same range of advice services to the general public. Citizens Advice Newcastle is the only advice agency covering debt, benefits, taxes, employment, housing, consumer, family law, and miscellaneous queries. We are the only agency to do this on a city-wide basis too. A number of agencies, statutory voluntary and commercial, provide some advice services either free of charge or for a fee. Many others “signpost” people for advice, very often to Citizens Advice Newcastle.

Annual Report 2014/15

Advice for Life Our objectives are to help everyone find a way forward and resolve their issue whatever problem they face.

Citizens Advice Newcastle has served residents of Newcastle upon Tyne for over 75 years. We are a reliable and trusted local charity.

The breadth and diversity of issues we advise on is unparalleled. There are over 1,500 standard advice issues that we are commonly called upon to deal with.

The challenges people face in their lives can be complex, varied and one problem can easily have wider knock-on implications. That is why we deliver advice that takes a holistic account of a person’s entire circumstances, and is especially tailored to the individual.

People often present to us with multiple issues that can be interrelated and badly affect their health & well-being, relationships and finances.

Citizens Advice outcomes and impact research (2014).

What is the Unmet Need?

Currently, there are significant numbers of people who cannot access our advice services because our waiting room is over-full, and client queues form outside our main door every morning. We know that many people see these queues and simply give up. Similarly, we know that our telephone advice services, via Advice

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Annual Report 2014/15

Line, are currently only able to deal with around 40% of the calls we receive. To meet this demand we would need to extend our opening hours, and increase the numbers of both volunteer and staff advisors available at every session. In addition, we know that in some parts of the City, particularly Walker, West Denton and Lemington, there is substantial poverty and deprivation, but very little advice provision of any kind. We know that many residents in these areas will not come in to the City Centre for advice for a number of reasons, including the cost of public transport. Citizens Advice Newcastle is committed to investigating ways of making our advice “reach” extend to these areas. All of this requires new ways of working and increased resources, which the bureau will seek to secure, working in close and effective partnerships with other agencies.

How Does Citizens Advice Newcastle Integrate With Other Agencies?

Citizens Advice Newcastle is a very active member of the Newcastle Advice Compact. As such we work in very close and effective partnership with other member organisations, including Newcastle City Council Welfare Rights Services, Your Homes Newcastle, Shelter, ISOS Housing, Places for People, Warm Zone, Age UK, the Department of Work and Pensions, and Moneywise Credit Union. This ensures that there is very careful and systematic co-ordination of all our services, so that resources are maximised, and there is no duplication of effort. The Compact also seeks to ensure that where possible there are no gaps in provision, particularly to the most needy clients in the City. We constantly seek to improve client access to our services by wherever possible extending our opening our and the “reach” of our service across the City, particularly within the most deprived communities.

Citizens Advice Newcastle works very closely with all the other bureaux in the North East, particularly the four in Tyne and Wear, with whom we have formed a special consortium. The Tyne and Wear bureau managers meet regularly to support each other in the effective day to day running of the bureaux, and discuss new and improved ways of working. They also consider possible funding opportunities, with one bureau taking on a lead role for particular initiatives.

Key Strategic Partnerships

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Newcastle Advice Project (NAP) Quality of Advice Audit Citizens Advice Newcastle was audited in November 2014 by an independent auditor appointed by Shelter. This was required as part of our involvement in the NAP, funded by the BIG Lottery. The audit was very thorough, involving client case reviews and client questionnaires, and the bureau scored very well in all areas.

City Council Monitoring Citizens Advice Newcastle works very closely with a number of City Council staff across the authority. We have a very good working relationship with the Commissioning Team, who monitor our work as part of our Service Level Agreement. This included an audit which was carried out in August, and which confirmed that we are fulfilling all the requirements of the SLA.

Value Added in 2014-15

Citizens Advice Newcastle is proud to have a positive and productive working relationship with Newcastle City Council.

We seek to add value by: • Assisting clients navigate local processes and changes such as a welfare reform.

• Helping the local authority rent and council tax arrears to be paid/rescheduled which reduces the associated administrative costs.

• Engaging with the local authority through the advice compact and attending the private rented sector quarterly meeting and preventing homeless forums.

Savings of £225,678 to local authority just through preventing homelessness”

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Annual Report 2014/15

Client Feedback Citizens Advice Newcastle is always keen to receive client feedback, and we actively encourage our clients to comment on our services and suggest ways we might improve them. A client survey was carried out in November 2014 as part of the NAP Audit, and client satisfaction rates were very high, with 90% of respondents stating that they were “very satisfied” with the help and advice we provided to them.

“Would always recommend CAB first. My situation was very complicated and you quickly showed that there was a solution. Thank You”

All client complaints are dealt with in accordance with our Client Complaints Policy. Specific complaints forms are available in our waiting room at all times. Copies of all complaints and our responses are kept on file.

Promotion and Publicity Website and Social Media Our website is being completely revised in 2015, to make it easier to use for our clients, and also more interactive with social media.

The bureau already uses both Twitter and Facebook to promote our work and to keep in contact with our many followers. This is an area of publicity which we wish to develop further, particularly for advice to young people.

Press and Media Contact Citizens Advice Newcastle has excellent links with journalists in all media, at local, regional and national levels. The Chief Executive is the main contact for all press and media enquiries, and she works very closely with the Press Office at Citizens Advice who regularly refer journalists to the bureau. In addition, the Chief Executive regularly issues bureau press releases to highlight particular campaigns or social policy issues facing our clients, and again these are done in close collaboration with the Press Office at Citizens Advice.

Annual Report 2014/15

External Community Events Newcastle CAB is very active in promoting the work of the bureau at various community events throughout the year. These include City Council information days, the Gay Pride event, the Newcastle Mela, Mental Health Awareness, and International Day for Disabled People. We have assembled a “pop up” advice stall complete with leaflets, posters, banners and other publicity materials which can be taken out to community events quickly and easily.

We know many of ourofclients find us through “word offriends mouth” our clients findthat us through “word mouth” recommendations from and family, so our visibility external events is extremely important. recommendations from at friends and family, so our visibility at external events is extremely important.

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Annual Report 2014/15

Volunteers at the heart of our service Volunteers are at the heart of everything we do at Citizens Advice Newcastle. Their hard work, commitment and enthusiasm enables us to provide high quality advice services which meet the needs of all our clients.

We embed volunteering throughout every aspect of our service, from trustless to advisors, reception staff and those involved with research & campaigning. We attract volunteers from all walks of life and together they bring a wealth of experience, skills and diversity to the service we can offer, Over 80 volunteers give thousand of hours service to Citizens Advice Newcastle each ear and we boast excellent retention rates.

We have a designated volunteer co-ordinator to manage the regular costs of a new volunteer over a year is estimated at ÂŁ4,490.

Three-quarters (72%) of employers agree or strongly agree with that volunteering can have a positive effect on an individual’s career progression. Employer Survey: attitudes to volunteering and impact on career progression, 2009.

CAB Staff Lesley Childs, Linda Mael and Claire Iredale

Annual Report 2014/15

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Value of volunteering Our loyal, dedicated and capable volunteers delivers tangible valuable for Citizens advice Newcastle and the wider community through their service. £403,119 to Newcastle

We help volunteers to: • Gain practical skills, experience and confidence to help people, often in challenging circumstances;

Through participation, productivity as well as improved health well-being

• Improve employment prospects and salaries through key skills and professional development. 31% of volunteers leave to take up paid employment; • Improve their self-esteem, reduce isolation and have increased ability to work as a team and with the public; • Experience a sense of belonging, through working with local people, increasing community trust and cohesion.

Hello and Goodbye……….

Hello and Goodbye……….

This yearchanges. the bureau had a number of This year the bureau had a number of staff and volunteer We said goodbye to Joan Unwin, goodbye to Joan Unwin, Advice Session Supervisor who retired in July 2014 Advice Sessio Hello and Goodbye………. and had been with the bureau for 20 years. had been with the bureau for 20 years Stop Press: In October 2015 the bureau was

This the bureau haddeaths a number of staff and volunteer changes. We said veryyear saddened by the of two stalwart goodbye to Joan Unwin, Advice Session Supervisor who retired in July 2014 and volunteers.

Pauline Bailey andthe Sandra Jordan Stop Press: In October 2015 bureau was very saddened by the deaths of two had been with the bureau for 20 years. gave the bureau many years of dedicated stalwart volunteers. Pauline Bailey and Sandra Jordan gave the bureau many years service, and service, we miss them both very much. of dedicated and we miss them both very much.

Joan Unwin who retired this year Fond memories of Pauline Bailey who sadly died this year.

Fond memories of Pauline Bailey who sadly died this year.

New Projects

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Annual Report 2014/15

New Projects Fuel Debt Advice Two new projects were established this year, supported by new funding.

Northern Powergrid agreed to fund a specialist Fuel Debt Advisor for two years, and advisor Helen Card took up her post in October 2014. Helen’s work is now vital to our services, and much appreciated by her clients:

Case Study Ms B , aged 38, is single, a tenant with Your Homes Newcastle, and is in receipt of Employment Support Allowance (Support Group, Disability Living Allowance, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Credit. Client suffers from severe depression and is being assessed for Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Ms B had moved to property in April 2013, and had started paying £62 a month by Paypoint towards her electricity supply . In January client had been in credit based on an estimated reading. Client had then been offered a new contract by E.on to pay £50 a month by Direct Debit in April 2014. This was despite her having received a statement on the same date stating that she owed £394.21, with no up-to-date meter reading. Ms B then received an estimated bill with a new balance of £384.39 dated 27/06/14 followed by another estimated bill for £272.65 dated 03/10/14.

She then received a letter dated 19/10/14 stating her Direct Debit would be increased to £209 a month starting 01/12/14. Client simply couldn’t afford this and wanted to know how there had been such a massive increase in the d/d, so she came for CAB advice.

Advisor rang E.on and was informed that the January bill showing client was in credit was based on an estimated reading.

A proper reading would have shown that Ms B wasn’t in credit. A reading in April showed client owed £646. Advisor asked why E.on had suggested to client that she set up a d/d paying E.on less than she had been, without a proper meter reading having been given to accurately confirm the client’s liability? E.on agreed this was not good practice. Advisor asked about the tariff which Ms B is on and if it’s the best one for her. She is on Fixed Version 6 tariff, but could be on a better one: she uses an estimated 12900kw a year, so if she was on 1 year Version 12, the predicted savings would be £125 a year.

However E.on said that to check this, they needed an up-to- date day and night meter reading.

Ms B can’t access her meter because of the type of property she lives in. Advisor rang Your Homes Newcastle to arrange a meter reading. Advisor was informed that E.on had previously recorded a reading incorrectly and the 1 should have been a zero.

There was a reading given in April which E.on may have recorded incorrectly, and when another reading was given in October E.on ignored it because it wasn’t in line with the April reading which E.on admitted was probably incorrect.

E.on were unable to give a balance during this phone call due to their computer problems and they asked if the advisor could call back the following day. When she contacted E.on again she was informed that as of 30/11/14 the client was actually £473.16 in credit with E.on and didn’t owe them any money at all.

Advisor rang Ms B to give her this information and advise her to ask for a refund. She also advised that CAB wanted to make complaint to Ofgem on her behalf. Client ultimately wants to change suppliers, and she was given advice and guidance on how to check comparison websites and make the energy switch.

Annual Report 2014/15

Research and Campaigns Officer In 2014 the Millfield House Foundation agreed to fund a Research and Campaigns post for a year. Andrew Young took up his post in August 2014.

Here is a summary of some of his work: • Crowdmap: Andrew has generated an interactive map that pins client comments and reports by ward/ postcode in Newcastle. This helps us to track trends in poverty, discrimination and other social policy issues across the city.

•

Council Tax: We collected information about minimum council tax contributions across the region and found that Councils with the highest minimum contribution rates were spending more on debt recovery actions and bailiff referrals. Andrew presented his findings to regional CABx and is liaising on a joint report on this to be presented to the Councils, MPs, and the National Audit Office.

•

Zero-Hour Contracts: Many Newcastle CAB clients struggle with ZHCs. They cause poverty, and hardship, especially for families with young children, often impacting negatively on their health and wellbeing. We submitted evidence of this to the Department for Business Innovation & Skills and supported the Government proposal to ban exclusivity clauses in such contracts. This is a welcome step but the reforms need to go much further, and this is a major area for further campaign work.

•

Employment & Support Allowance (ESA): In October we put evidencebased recommendations together which we presented to the Head of National Partnerships at the DWP, on behalf of the CAB network. We also contacted local MPs, asking them to improve the ESA process and support people during mandatory reconsideration. Government rejected these proposals. In January 2015 Andrew was part of a NCAB delegation that took a 15,000 signature petition to the Parliament and the DWP that asked for ESA to be made ‘fit for work’. Andrew is still liaising with CABx across the country about further work and a social welfare barrister has approached us to work jointly on this.

•

Benefit Sanctions: We gave evidence to the Parliamentary Work & Pensions Committee Inquiry on these sanctions. Our evidence was published and cited in their final report. We also worked with the City Council and other advice agencies to produce a partnership submission of evidence from Newcastle. Andrew is now working with 25 other CABx to study the impact of long-term sanctions. Early results indicate that sanctions lasting more than 4 weeks cause considerable hardship and worsening of physical and mental health. This puts claimants further away from the job market as they struggle to recover from a prolonged sanction period.

•

Digital Exclusion: “Digital by default” is popular with Government bodies, but we are concerned that it is detrimental to many of the vulnerable clients we see. We are working closely with the City Council to link people up with both IT and the human support they need to make it work for them. We are also campaigning to ensure that agencies still meet the needs of clients who simply cannot get online. This work was featured in a Guardian newspaper article.

•

Solutions Equality Project: We won funding from the EU to work with 8 other CABx to look at how SMEs can better approach and implement equality laws. We are planning to hold forums with employers and employees to gather their views on compliance and develop measures to enhance the spirit, not just the letter of the law. An international conference is planned to present the findings of the report and this is supported by the Equality & Diversity Forum.

•

HMRC: CAB staff and volunteers regularly wait over 30 minutes (on intermediary lines) to get through to HMRC on behalf of clients. Often the calls are unanswered or disconnected. Clients are coming to us because they cannot afford to keep calling. We raised this with NCAB as a “super complaint” on behalf of the CAB network. We are now assessing the costs we are incurring, and campaigning for reduced waiting times on calls to HMRC. The National Audit office is using this work for some specific cost benefit analysis of HMRC digitizing their services.

Another issue we faced was a practice of HMRC not issuing tax credit forms to people without a National Insurance Number (NINo). Andrew established this was contrary to existing legislation and guidance. It was caused by a misleading internal staff circular and both the DWP and HMRC have confirmed that they have since ‘refreshed’ national directions to their advisor staff on this matter.

21

22

Annual Report 2014/15

•

Northumbrian Water: We discovered NW was using some outdated and incorrect information about how customers in arrears could obtain help and support. Andrew submitted a series of recommendations to improve this. NW accepted these in full and have since changed their website and are in the process of producing new printed materials which better inform and direct their customers to help with debts.

• NEA Fuel Poverty: In November 2014 we worked with National Energy Action and provided evidence of our clients’ fuel debts problems. This was used for a subsequent NEA report setting out short, medium and long term measures required to address fuel poverty.

•

Private Rented Sector: We joined with National Citizens Advice to campaign for an end to retaliatory evictions actively supported by our local MPs and Lords. These revenge evictions are often made when tenants simply exercise their right to ask for essential repairs and maintenance to be carried out. Legislation has now been given Royal Assent. At a local level we are also working closely with Newcastle City Council on innovative ways to report problem landlords and assist with intelligence sharing.

• High Cost Credit Short Term Loans: Andrew is working with Newcastle University on a funding bid for a project to promote better consumer decisionmaking around payday or short term high cost credit loans.

Councillor Stephen Powers launches our Scam Busters Campaign

Annual Report 2014/15

What Our Volunteers Say……

23

What Our Volunteers Say……

Paulina – “Volunteering gives lots of satisfaction and is “Volunteering gives of so great life experience. It feels greatlots to contribute much to society. If you haveis time and can help satisfaction and great life someone, why not do it?”

experience. It feels great to contribute so much to society.

What Our Volunteers Say……

If you have time and can help been able to use before, and I’ve learnt a lo someone, why not do it?”

Paulina

situations.”

Paulina – “Volunteering gives lots of satisfaction and is great life experience. It feels great to contribute so much to society. If you have time and can help someone, why not do it?”

“I love the variety of issues that confront me. I get a great deal of satisfaction from helping people.”

Colin

!

“I love volunteering here! It’s great to see clients smiling at the end of the Colinhere – “I love the variety of issues that confron interview. Everyone is so friendly. helping people.” !

I’ve been able to use skills that I’ve never been able to use before, and Kathy – “I love volunteering here! It’s great to see clients smiling at the end of the learnt a lot skills that I interview. Everyone here is so I’ve friendly.

I’ve been ableof to new use skills that I’ve never can use in other situations.”

Kathy

!

Kathy – “I love volunteering here! It’s great to see clients smiling at the end of the

le upon Tyne Central

Service England and Wales 2014/15: 24

2014/15

Annual Report 2014/15

ns Advice Constituency Dashbo 1.9m

d

5.6m

Citizens Advice Constituency Dashboard 2015 >2500

le upon Tyne Central Newcastle upon Tyne Central in 2014/15 Tyne Central

Citizens Advice England and Wales 2014/15: andService Wales 2014/15:

Service eaux dealtEngland with:

2014/15 2014/15

d

2014/15

1.9m 3,297 1.9m

Unique clients advised Problems dealt with Community locations

5.6m 5.6m 10,795

Client:

>2500

>2500

Newcastle upon Tyne Central in 2014/15

0 - 33

reas were: Citizens Advice Bureaux dealt with: 2014/15

Tyne Central in 2014/15 Problems

Clients eaux dealt with:

Problems

2014/15%

3,163

3,29729% 10,795

4,229 2014/15 39% The main problem areas were: 2014/15 488 3,297 5%

reas were: were: sues

t Allowance Credits

ce

Benefits Debt Employment Housing

559

Problems 10,795 3,163 4,229 488 2014/15 2014/15 559

Problems Problems

The top 5 benefit issues were:

3,163 641 Employment Support Allowance 4,229 536 Working & Child Tax Credits 488 Housing Benefit 356 Jobseekers Allowance 559 333 Personal independence payment

536 356 488 559

Problems 547 2014/15 es were: Council tax arrears Allowance Fuel debts 641 369 Problems Credit, store & charge card debts 314 Credits 536 547 Unsecured personal loan debts 308 Debt Relief Order 279 356 369

s were:

:

sness

Threatened homelessness Actual homelessness

279

17% 17% 5% 11% 11% 11% 5% 11%

155+ Bureau Outreach

8%

% 13% 20% %9% 7% 17% 13% 7% 11% 9%7%

547 Problems

Most Deprived

%

2014/15

2014/15

Deprivation Rank:

8%

11% 2014/15 7% Problems % 8% 7% 38 7% 29 7%5%

Problems

369 38

94 - 154

% %

2014/15 2014/15

Problems

333 314 240 308

60 - 93

2014/15 29% Problems 20%% 641 20% 39%

nce payment 240 The top 5 debt issues were: ues were:

ce e card debtsKey housing issues: nce loanpayment debts

% 29% 5% 39% 5% 5%

34 - 59

%

13% % 9% 7%

Least Deprived Bureau Outreach

Annual Report 2014/15

25

Dashboard 2015

Dashboard 2015

Client Profile:

Client Profile: Client Profile: 50%

Female Male

50% Female Male

50%

50%

Female - 50%

Male - 50% White

22%

BAME

22%

White

78%

BAME

BAME - 22% 78%

White - 78% Disabled

37%

Not Disabled

63% Disabled

37%

Not Disabled

Disabled - 37% 63% 35% 26%

Not Disabled - 63% 24%

35%

9%

35%

26%

24%

26%

17-24 9% 9%

25-34

17-24 25-34 17-24 25-34

6%

24% 35-49

50-64

65+ 6%

6% 35-49 35-49

50-64 50-64

65+ 65+

le upon Tyne Central

Service England and Wales 2014/15: 26

2014/15

Annual Report 2014/15

ns Advice Constituency Dashbo 1.9m

d

5.6m

Citizens Advice Constituency Dashboard 2015 >2500

le upon Tyne Central Newcastle upon Tyne Central in 2014/15 Tyne East

Service eaux dealtEngland with:

Citizens Advice England and Wales 2014/15: andService Wales 2014/15: 2014/15 2014/15

d

2014/15

1.9m 3,297 1.9m

Unique clients advised Problems dealt with Community locations

5.6m 5.6m 10,795

Client:

>2500

>2500

Newcastle upon Tyne Central in 2014/15

0 - 33

reas were: Citizens Advice Bureaux dealt with: 2014/15

Tyne Central in 2014/15 Problems

Clients eaux dealt with:

Problems

2014/15%

3,163

2,84129% 10,719

4,229 2014/15 39% The main problem areas were: 2014/15 488 3,297 5%

reas were: were: sues

t Allowance Credits

ce

Benefits Debt Employment Housing

559

Problems 10,795 3,388 4,150 567 2014/15 2014/15 483

Problems Problems

The top 5 benefit issues were:

3,163 641 Employment Support Allowance 4,229 536 Working & Child Tax Credits 488 Housing Benefit 356 Jobseekers Allowance 559 333 Personal independence payment

494 395 376 252

Problems 534 2014/15 es were: Council tax arrears Allowance Fuel debts 641 401 Problems Credit, store & charge card debts 344 Credits 536 547 Unsecured personal loan debts 322 Debt Relief Order 293 356 369

s were:

:

sness

Threatened homelessness Actual homelessness

279

17% 15% 5% 12% 11% 11% 5% 11%

155+ Bureau Outreach

8%

% 13% 20% %10% 8% 17% 13% 8% 11% 9%7%

547 Problems

Most Deprived

%

2014/15

2014/15

Deprivation Rank:

7%

11% 2014/15 7% Problems % 8% 7% 28 6% 11 7%2%

Problems

369 38

94 - 154

% %

2014/15 2014/15

Problems

333 314 240 308

60 - 93

2014/15 29% Problems 20%% 760 22% 39%

nce payment 240 The top 5 debt issues were: ues were:

ce e card debtsKey housing issues: nce loanpayment debts

% 32% 5% 39% 5% 5%

34 - 59

%

13% % 9% 7%

Least Deprived Bureau Outreach

y Dashboard 2015 y Dashboard 2015

Annual Report 2014/15

27

Client Profile:

Client Profile: Client Profile:

Female Male

51%

49%

51%

49%Female - 49%

Female Male

Male - 51% 12%

White

BAME 12%

White 88%

88%

BAME

BAME - 12%

White - 88% Disabled

38%

Not Disabled

62%

Disabled

38%

Not-Disabled Disabled 38%

62%

Not Disabled - 62% 31%

25%

24%

31%

12%25%

12% 12% 17-24

31% 24%

25%

25-34

24%

35-49

8%

50-64 8% 65+ 8%

17-2417-24 25-3425-34 35-49 35-4950-64 50-64 65+65+

le upon Tyne Central

Service England and Wales 2014/15: 28

2014/15

Annual Report 2014/15

ns Advice Constituency Dashbo 1.9m

d

5.6m

Citizens Advice Constituency Dashboard 2015 >2500

le upon Tyne Central Newcastle upon Tyne Central in 2014/15 Tyne North

Service eaux dealtEngland with:

Citizens Advice England and Wales 2014/15: andService Wales 2014/15: 2014/15 2014/15

d

2014/15

1.9m 3,297 1.9m

Unique clients advised Problems dealt with Community locations

5.6m 5.6m 10,795

Client:

>2500

>2500

Newcastle upon Tyne Central in 2014/15

0 - 33

reas were: Citizens Advice Bureaux dealt with: 2014/15

Tyne Central in 2014/15 Problems

Clients eaux dealt with:

Problems

2014/15%

3,163

1,82729% 5,644

4,229 2014/15 39% The main problem areas were: 2014/15 488 3,297 5%

reas were: were: sues

t Allowance Credits

ce

Benefits Debt Employment Housing

559

Problems 10,795 1,293 2,588 341 2014/15 2014/15 236

Problems Problems

The top 5 benefit issues were:

3,163 641 Employment Support Allowance 4,229 536 Working & Child Tax Credits 488 Housing Benefit 356 Jobseekers Allowance 559 333 Personal independence payment

181 136 123 100

Problems 324 2014/15 es were: Council tax arrears Allowance Fuel debts 641 290 Problems Credit, store & charge card debts 216 Credits 536 547 Unsecured personal loan debts 192 Debt Relief Order 174 356 369

s were:

:

sness

Threatened homelessness Actual homelessness

279

17% 14% 5% 11% 11% 10% 5% 11%

155+ Bureau Outreach

8%

% 13% 20% %11% 8% 17% 13% 7% 11% 9%7%

547 Problems

Most Deprived

%

2014/15

2014/15

Deprivation Rank:

8%

11% 2014/15 7% Problems % 8% 7% 12 5% 11 7%5%

Problems

369 38

94 - 154

% %

2014/15 2014/15

Problems

333 314 240 308

60 - 93

2014/15 29% Problems 20%% 218 17% 39%

nce payment 240 The top 5 debt issues were: ues were:

ce e card debtsKey housing issues: nce loanpayment debts

% 23% 5% 46% 6% 4%

34 - 59

%

13% % 9% 7%

Least Deprived Bureau Outreach

Annual Report 2014/15

29

y Dashboard 2015

y Dashboard 2015

Client Profile: Client Profile: Client Profile:

Female Male

43% 57%

Female

Female -Male 57%

43%

57%

Male - 43% 6%

White

BAME 6%

White

BAME BAME - 6%

94%

White - 94%

94%

Disabled

36%

64%

Not Disabled

Disabled 36%Disabled - 36% Not Disabled

64%

Not Disabled - 64% 33% 25%

22% 33%

33% 25%

10%22%

25%

22%

11%

10%

10% 17-24

11%

25-34

35-49

50-64

11% 65+

17-24 25-34 35-49 50-64 65+ 17-24 25-34 35-49 50-64 65+

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