Presented by Rob Emery Head of Community Services and David Hull Money Advice Coordinator 14th Septe

1
Presented byRob EmeryHead of Community
Servicesand David HullMoney Advice
Co-ordinator14th September 2006

• Presentation to The Regeneration Scrutiny Board
  on the role of the SCH Money Advice Team

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Why the team was formed

• Very little money advice services available by
  other agencies
• CAB and CARA unable to cope with the number of
  referrals within realistic timescales
• Indicative inspection by the Audit Commission in
  Feb 04 sited lack of debt advice as a weakness.
• Business decision by SCH Board to create own
  specialist team that would offer debt and welfare
  benefit advice for tenants, with the added value
  of helping to sustain tenancies with budgetary
  advice

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Team structure
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Who are the Money Advice Team?

• David Hull
• 6 years as Manager of Business
• Debtline at Birmingham Settlement
• Former member of the Money
• Advice Trust Advisory Board
• Bank Manager for 21 years

• Jane Foster
• 12 years experience
• CAB trained and trainer.
• LSC Casework supervisor
• Natasha Ramrous
• 6 years experience
• CAB, Birmingham Tribunal Unit
• National Debtline trained,
• Member of Institute of Money
• Advisors

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Who uses the service?

• The service is available to tenants of SMBC and
  anyone
• whose home is at risk due to debts (tenure
  neutral around
• homeless prevention)
• Since November 2004 we have taken on 314 casework
• clients who have used our services.
• Of these cases
• 234 were SCH tenants, 40 were homeowners, 20
• were private tenants,10 were with Housing
• Associations 10 others.
• 275 clients relied on either benefits only or
  wages and
• benefits
• Just 39 were not eligible for any benefits and
  relied on
• wages alone.
• In addition 147 Safe Sound financial
  assessments have
• been carried out

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What does the service cost?

• The service is free for clients
• The cost of running the service for 2005/6 was
  82,670. In that year we opened 166 cases which
  equates to approx. 498 per case.
• The budget for 2006/7 is 92,340. From April 2006
  to 31 August 2006 we have taken on 102 cases
  therefore if we assume that we will take on 240
  cases in the year the average cost per case is
  384.
• From when the Team was established to date we
  have identified 569,371 of potential Welfare
  Benefits that clients were entitled to.
• During 2005/6 we identified 257,748 of potential
  welfare benefits that clients were entitled to,
  some 3.1 times the cost of the service.

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Cost Benefit Analysis
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Added Value

• From when the Team was established to date we
  have identified 569,371 of potential Welfare
  Benefits that clients were entitled to.
• Dealing with priority debts of 650,319 and non
  priority debts of 1,796,403
• A self help pack is available on the website or
  from Contact Centre and offices
• The team work very closely with the Arrears team
  to ensure that clients maximise income and have
  the ability to pay their rent and council tax.
• Of the cases that are being supported by the team
  and keeping to the payment plan rent arrears have
  reduced by 23,594 since April 06

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Customer Satisfaction feedback

• "They calmed me down because I panicked when I
  thought that I was in trouble with the Council.
  They helped me by explaining everything that I
  needed to get across (and got the Housing and
  Council Tax Benefit reinstated)."
• "Definitely less stress. Being made aware of the
  options available and the guidelines to follow
  help to keep you focussed. The advice that is
  given in simple terms helps your understanding
  and the regular contact with the advisor showed
  their commitment."
• "Less stress and I am out of debt now!"
• "Nice to have an experienced person to turn to
  for help in these circumstances."

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What other organisations do

• In the West Midlands most Councils and
  Registered Social Landlords refer clients to CAB
• Some have formal referral methods and provide
  limited funding, however there is a lack of
  monitoring on the results of the referral.
• Waterloo Housing Association have SLA with
  Birmingham Settlement for 40 cases per year
• Birmingham Council had a money advice team that
  was funded by Supporting People.
• Three star ALMOs Derby Homes, Ashfield Homes
  have their own in house team similar to SCH
• As very little data is collected by other
  organisations for monitoring purposes we are
  unable to benchmark our service at present

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Future Developments

• Working with North Birmingham Community Credit
  Union to facilitate the expansion of a Credit
  Union into North Solihull to tackle financial
  economic deprivation
• Offer budget financial literacy advice to
  school leavers at the 15-16 year old bracket at
  Local schools to help them to make more informed
  decisions about the purchase of financial goods
  services in the future.
• Discussing with CAB a referral protocol for
  partnership working for both services
• Bidding for additional funding to expand the team
  via the Big Lottery
• Talking to the Revs Bens section about
  resources for a targeted benefit take up
  campaign.
• Offer budgetary advice to prospective tenants -
  can I afford the rent