Our Stories

Date: 20th February 2017

1. ABOUT THE PERSON
Client A has worked as a cleaner all her life, only retiring when her husband of almost 50 years was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She looked after him at home during his last months. Her husband died 7 years ago. Client has depression.

2. WHAT WAS THE SITUATION
When she was caring for her husband she was often too worried to sleep in case he needed her in the night. In order to keep herself awake she used the internet and found online gambling. She carried on with the gambling as she found it comforting. She says she felt very ashamed and did not tell anyone about this, until she reached the point last week when she realised she had debts of almost £16,000 from gambling using her credit card. At this point she became suicidal and tried to kill herself. Her GP suggested that she talked to her family about this and came to see us. She also confided to me that she has heart disease and cancer. Until this week she has been keeping everything to herself and using gambling as a way to relieve her stress.

3. WHAT DID YOUR SERVICE DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
She has no disposable income and car is not worth more than £1,000 so she fits the criteria for Debt Relief Order. Discussed DRO. Advised that as she incurred debts through gambling they are unlikely to be written off after one year, and explained to her about restriction orders.
Debt Management Plan would be unsustainable.
Printed off DRO guide and restriction orders and gave these to her at app’t
raised DRO online and gave her bar coded letter with which to make the £90 payment
Discussed her bank accounts and advised her to open a basic bank account elsewhere as all her income and direct debts are with NatWest with whom she has the debts.
applied for Experian report and explained to client that she will get a letter from them with a pass key which we will needs to access her credit reference report online

4. WHAT OUTCOMES WERE ACHIEVED?
She is not longer gambling and has closed all her online accounts (at the beginning of Feb 2017)

She said she now feels so much better that it’s all out in the open and she is having help.

5. QUOTES/FEEDBACK

Date: 26th January 2017

1. ABOUT THE PERSON
Client B is a 70 year old male who lives alone in rented accommodation following the death of his wife. He was in receipt of a state retirement pension and a small occupational pension. He did not think he was entitled to any other benefits but asked us to check.

2. WHAT WAS THE SITUATION
Because client was not claiming everything he was entitled to, he was unable to eat a balanced diet. He was often cold as he couldn’t afford heating and he felt lonely as he could not afford to socialise.

3. WHAT DID YOUR SERVICE DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
We did a benefit check which showed that he was entitled to pension credit of £7.56 per week, so we telephoned the DWP and assisted him to make a claim. This passported him into an entitlement of extra Housing Benefit, an increase of £5.35 per week.

We telephoned, his energy supplier, EDG, to let them know he was on pension credit and they explained to him how he will receive the Winter Heating discount. They looked at whether he could be on a better tariff and found that he was on a dual rate tariff even though he doesn’t use much electricity at night. This means his bills were higher than they would be if on a single rate tariff. He was put on a single rate tariff on a new plan immediately: ‘blue price protection’, meaning his monthly bills reduced from £54 to £34. They will reduce even more once they have his warm home discount.

This is a total increase in income of £13.85 per week, £720.20 per annum, on top of the other benefits. We then looked at his energy bills and advised him that he was entitled to the winter payment of £200 as well as the Warm Home discount of £140.

Because he was entitled to Pension Credit, he was also entitled to 20% off his water bill, a saving of 94p per week. Pension Credit also gave him other benefits such as free dental treatment, help towards cost of glasses and travel to hospital and the cold weather payment.

4. WHAT OUTCOMES WERE ACHIEVED?
Altogether, we helped increase him annual income by £2,566.08, and he also received a back payment of Pension Credit of just over £650, making a total of £3,216.08 extra income

5. QUOTES/FEEDBACK
When asked how we had most helped him, he said he had come here expecting nothing and he was overwhelmed with how much extra money he now has. He said: “I live on my own and I try to be independent. Having this extra money means I can go to the pub. I don’t drink much, but it gets me out to be with people. It’s the only time I have company. For so long I was unable to go out and I used to sit on my own in my flat. But best of all, I’ve got £650 – I’ve never had so much money before in my account. I’ve always wanted to go to Benidorm, and I’m going to go! I’m going to book a holiday for the first time in years!”

Date: July 2016

1. ABOUT THE PERSON
Client A came to see us with multiple debt problems following a relationship breakdown. She lives alone in rented accommodation and suffers from stress and depression. Because of this she is unable to work and is claiming Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

2. WHAT WAS THE SITUATION
She came to see us because her council tax arrears had been sent to Rundles Enforcement Agents and they would only accept repayments of £100 per month. This was causing her immense stress and hardship and she did not know what to do. She was given a specialist debt appointment to discuss the best way forward for her.

3. WHAT DID YOUR SERVICE DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
We outlined her options: negotiating affordable repayments or applying for a Debt Relief Order. As she had other debts totalling approximately £12,000, she decided that a DRO was the best way forward for her. We set up her DRO online and gave her the barcoded letter with which to make the £90 payment. As she had no disposable income we phoned Rundles to ask them to put the case on hold for one month due to her vulnerability, which they agreed to. She was then able to use the bailiff money to pay for her DRO, which was approved.

4. WHAT OUTCOMES WERE ACHIEVED?
The outcome is the approval of her DRO which means all debts, including bailiff action, are put on hold for one year and as long as her situation remains the same this time next year all her debts will be written off. This has provided complete relief for her from the worry of bailiffs and debt that she is unable to pay off due to being in receipt of ESA. This has a knock on effect on her mental health as she is no longer worried and anxious.

She is full of praise for the service she received – the only negative thing she said is that she had to wait 5 weeks for a specialist debt appointment. This is because we have a specialist debt waiting list due to the demand for our service

5. QUOTES/FEEDBACK
“This is a brilliant service and I can’t express how relieved I am. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted and last night I slept for the first time in months”

Date: 10th August 2016

1. ABOUT THE PERSON
Client D had been a prostitute for 8 years, and taking cocaine daily. She recently took an unintentional overdose resulting in a seizure and hospitalisation. She has a young son, and Social Services were involved. The case had been closed and she retains custody of her son as long as she takes regular blood tests confirming she is off drugs.

2. WHAT WAS THE SITUATION
Clients landlord has given her 2 months notice of eviction and she is at risk of homelessness. She wants to leave her current line of work but knows she will not be able to afford her current rent of £950 a month. She had been self-assessed for tax and has informed HMRC that she is no longer working. She has no savings.

3. WHAT DID YOUR SERVICE DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
Client was advised that she could apply for Job Seekers Allowance if she is fit to work. If she is not well enough to look for work she could apply for Employment and Support Allowance. She could also claim Child Tax Credit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction. She was also advised she is entitled to Housing Benefit of £656.50 a month.

She was advised to be put on the HomeChoice housing register.

She could ask for a discretionary housing payment – to help with rent and housing benefit HB shortfall, and/or for a deposit for a new place

She was advised not leave her current place unless she has got new accommodation, or she will be deemed intentionally homeless and the council will not need to give her homelessness assistance.

If she is homeless, the council will help her find emergency accommodation

She was also advised of local help and counselling and was given information for:
– South Glos Talking Therapies and registration form
– South Glos Clinical Commissioning Group re Mental Health and Wellbeing
– Meeting Minds re drug abuse
– DHI online

4. WHAT OUTCOMES WERE ACHIEVED?
Client applied for Housing Benefit, Council Tax reduction, Child Tax Credit and a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP). She asked to go on the HomeChoice register and was prevented from becoming homeless.

She received support with her drug addiction and mental health problems from local support groups.

5. QUOTES/FEEDBACK

Date: 10th February 2017

1. ABOUT THE PERSON
Client F suffers from several debilitating health conditions. She has dependant children aged 4 months and 6 years.

2. WHAT WAS THE SITUATION
As a result of her health conditions client feels unable to concentrate on trying to resolve the debt problems she is experiencing. She has received a final demand from South Glos Council for about £8000 overpayment of housing benefit which needs to be paid by 10th Feb. She has also had a pre-eviction meeting with her landlords about outstanding rent arrears of £1723. She has been told they will seek possession from the court on 13th Feb if she does not clear the arrears. Other debts include water bills of £1300. Client has not received Housing Benefit or Employment Support Allowance since Sept 2016.

3. WHAT DID YOUR SERVICE DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
We advised client of her rights regarding homeless and contacted her landlord on her behalf to request a suspension of action.

Client was made an emergency next day appointment with South West Law to help with the eviction hearing and also an appointment was also made to assist her with her benefit appeal the next day.

Client advised to make a new single claim for housing benefit and Council Tax reduction today and explain that while appeal is being heard she has no income, leading to rent arrears.

Also advised of her right to make a claim for Income Support as a single parent with a child under 5 years old.

Referred to our specialist Debt Supervisor to begin application for Debt Relief Order on client behalf to clear current debts.

The client has been identified as Vulnerable so have arranged a floating housing support worker for her from P3.

4. WHAT OUTCOMES WERE ACHIEVED?
Anticipated outcome is that the DRO will clear all current debts with a total value of over £11,000.

Advice given and action taken as a result of advice prevented the homelessness of the client and her two children.

5. QUOTES/FEEDBACK

Date: October 2016

1. ABOUT THE PERSON
Client E is 62. He lives alone in rented accommodation (housing association) and when he came to see us, he was in receipt of JSA, HB and CTR.

He came to see us because he had bailiffs calling for council tax arrears. However, once he told us the whole story this was only the tip of the iceberg.

He was unable to work due to nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy), the cause of which is still unknown. The effects of the nerve damage are that his muscles are wasting and he is unable to walk properly due to very little sensation in his feet and legs. His marriage broke up and he was homeless for a time.

He did not know he should be claiming ESA instead of JSA, nor that he could apply for PIP.

2. WHAT WAS THE SITUATION
His total debts were not huge: approximately £2,000. However, to Client E they dominated his life and he became very depressed with the stress of knowing he could never pay these back and that bailiffs would continue to call, demanding money he did not have.

He had to have his gas disconnected as he could not pay the standing charge. His water payments were being deducted at a rate of £10.25 per week from his JSA to cover usage and arrears and he had not eaten for 2 days.

He told me that he did not see any way out of his situation except for dying.

3. WHAT DID YOUR SERVICE DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

Help him apply for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) to maximise his income

1. Apply to St Monica’s Trust charity for £90 to pay the fee for him to apply for a Debt Relief Order

2. Assist with applying for a Debt Relief Order

3. Apply to Bristol & Wessex Water to reduce his water bill through their social policy scheme for customers in receipt of a means tested benefit.

4. WHAT OUTCOMES WERE ACHIEVED?

He was awarded PIP and ESA, increasing his income .

The charity application was successful and he was awarded the full £90 fee for applying for a DRO.

His DRO was successful and approved within a day, meaning that all his debts will be written off in one year and in the meantime no creditor, including bailiffs, can take any enforcement action.

He was given several food vouchers until his benefits were awarded, meaning that he could have meals instead of going hungry.

The application to Bristol and Wessex Water was successful and his bill was lowered to an affordable £12 per month.

5. QUOTES/FEEDBACK

This has made a huge difference to easing his depression and improving his quality of life and he said: “I can’t thank you enough for the difference you have made. Thanks to you I will soon be debt free. I am no longer stressed and, best of all, I know where I can come if I ever need help in the future”