C anterbury District

C itizens Advice Bureau

Annual Report 2013 –2014

Charity No. 803115

Company No. 02483455

Citizens Advice Membership No. 75/0001

The Citizens Advice Service Aims

To provide the advice people need for the problems they face

To improve the policies and practices that affect people’s lives

The Citizens Advice Service provides free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to

everyone on their rights and responsibilities. It values diversity, promotes equality and

challenges discrimination.

How to find us

3 Westgate Hall Road

Canterbury

CT1 2BT

Telephone: 01227 452762

185-187 High Street

Herne Bay

CT6 5AF

Telephone: 01227 740647

There is an outreach service for

Whitstable residents. Please ring

our Herne Bay Office on 01227

740647 for full details and to make

an appointment.

Online advice can be obtained at www.adviceguide.org

Information about our service is available at

www.canterburycitizensadvice.org

Find us on:

https://twitter.com/CanterburyCAB

https://www.facebook.com/canterburycitizensadvice

Opening Times

Canterbury Herne Bay

Monday 9.45am—4.00pm 9.45am— 1.00pm

Tuesday 9.45am—4.00pm 9.45am— 1.00pm

Wednesday 9.45am—4.00pm 9.45am— 4.00pm

Thursday 9.45am—4.00pm 9.45am— 1.00pm

Friday Closed Closed

Telephone Advice on: 0844 49944128

OUR ORGANISATION

BOARD OF TRUSTEES CORE STAFF

Chair Ursula Wacher District Manager Simone Field

Secretary Brian Collins Local Service Manager (HB) Sheila Harrison

Treasurer David Cork Local Service Manager (C) Mike Payne*

Trustees Susan Record Local Service Manager (C) Susan Parker

Gillian Reuby Training Manager Glenda Hammond

Bandana Srinivasan* Whitstable Outreach Catherine Sumner

Alan Baldock

Adam Fagg*

Frank Pilcher

Advice Session Supervisors Sarah Ciccone

Catherine Sumner

Lynda Worrall

Ian Macarthur Administrator Leslie Brierley*

Alison O’Dea* IT Consultant Colin Jones

David Wilson ADVICE SERVICES TRANSITION FUND

Shrimathi de Silva Business Development Haydon Rouse

ASTF Service Co-ordinator Leslie Brierley

GATEWAY ASSESSORS ADMINISTRATORS Debt Caseworker Sara Byrne

Ken Beere Christian Claridge W B Caseworker Gerry Smalley

Judy Seymour-Ure Irene Sharp Administrator Suzanne Goody

Rajani Radakrishnan Kwan Fong* MACMILLAN UNIT

Deynah Briscoe Katerina Dempeli Caseworkers Alan Lawson

Sally Greenwood Drew Connor* Sheila Harrison

ADVISERS Rajani Radakrishnan Sara Byrne

Paul Kusel Jordane Brewer* Kelda Wong*

Brian Middleton Ami Dean* Administrator Suzanne Goody

Sarah Ciconne*

Patti Munt

Anna Jenkins*

Louis de Marigny

DEBT CASEWORKERS/ADVISERS FINANCIAL CAPABILITY

WORKERS

Terry Gabony Karen Ventress* David Morgan Dick Bickerdike

Mary Rance* Pryanka Chakrabati Paul Doncaster Mary Rance

Susan Thomas Mary Rance Damal Radha Damal Radha

Gillian Grainger Sophie Blayachi SOCIAL POLICY FINANCE DEPARTMENT

Jane Stewart Jacqueline de Marigny Margaret Endersby David Leadbetter

Robert Veltman James Foley

ADMINISTRATORS EMPLOYMENT CASEWORKERS GATEWAY ASSESSORS

Ken Finch Shirley Bream Dr Geoff Lindley Melissa Wills

Matthew Hubbard Diana Hill Terry Gabony Angelique Hook

Robert Veltman Eileen Griffiths TRAINEE GENERALIST ADVISERS Catherine Dova

GATEWAY ASSESSORS James Foley Ursula Fuller Mella White*

Doreen Brookfield Jacqueline Mann Richard Barber Drew Connor*

Lea Agar Chris Bartlett Peter Reynolds

Chris Would Rajani Radakrishnan Jeffrey Elliot

Richard Wilson Jeremy Mills Anna Crow*

BENEFITS CASEWORKER BENEFITS FORM FILLER Heloise Barnard Janet Macalpine Downey*

Mary Rance* Hilary Clayden

* indicates person left during the year.

Letter from the Chair

Ursula Wacher

Congratulations go to the following people who have

completed their training:

Generalist Adviser - Patti Munt

Gateway Assessors - Sally Greenwood Deynah Briscoe

Rajani Radakrishnan Drew Connor

Every year when the time comes around to write the annual report for Canterbury District

CAB, I have the opportunity to reflect on the service we provide for local people.

For many years one of the stated aims of the service was “to ensure that individuals do not

suffer through lack of knowledge of their rights and responsibilities”, and the importance of

this element of our service was impressed on me recently through a chance meeting while I

was away from home.

The person I met was a single mother who had entered into a new relationship which had

turned sour. Her new partner had moved into her housing association house and now that

the relationship had broken down he was refusing to leave. She wrongly believed that he had

acquired rights to live there, that she could not make him move out, so each evening she

cowered in an upstairs bedroom, and listened to him enjoying the home she had made for

herself.

She was at her wits’ end until a friend suggested she visit the local CAB. There she received

practical advice on her problem and emotional support. She was advised how best to get the

man and his possessions out of her house. Without the CAB he would still be there and she

would still be hiding upstairs.

These are the people we are here to help – people who simply do not understand what rights

they have in relation to the state and to other citizens. As a service we should be immensely

proud of what we do and publicise our achievements more.

I am writing this on the 75th

anniversary of the opening of the very first CAB. Issues have

changed so much over the years – no longer are we helping people bombed out of their

homes – but today’s issues are no less important to those in need. We have to ensure that the

service we offer can change in tune with those issues, and that we can continue to assist the

many people who need our help.

We could not do this at all without the continued support of so many people – our funders,

the local professionals who provide help in kind, our staff, my board and our many volun-

teers. I would like to thank you all again for everything you do to make sure our great service

can continue to aid all the people of the district.

District Manager’s Report

Simone Field The year has been particularly busy with the 2013-14 year forming the first of a

four year contract to deliver a Welfare Advice Service funded by Canterbury City

Council. The move from Service Level Agreement to contract demonstrates the

bureau’s adaptability and the recognition by our main funder of the good value and quality service

we provide for members of the public.

Overall unique client figures have increased by 670 this year and the bureau exceeded almost all the

targets set by the Council; this is despite the fact that our core funding decreased. The bureau has

had to make a series of changes to accommodate this reduction and my thanks go to all the staff and

volunteers who have worked so hard to maintain the service to our clients whilst coping with the

extra demands. The year saw the departure of Mike Payne, Service Manager at Canterbury to whom

we are indebted for all his hard work. With Mike’s departure we were pleased to welcome Sue Parker

back into the Service Manager’s position at Canterbury. Sheila Harrison has presided over a growing

service at Herne Bay where our clients face some of the highest levels of deprivation in the district.

The chart on page 6 shows the large number of people accessing our service from Heron Ward.

Sheila has ensured that the team at Herne Bay have coped with increasing levels of demand whilst

supervision hours at this office and Canterbury decreased.

On reviewing our annual statistics we note that the proportion of debt cases is again rising, bucking

the trend in recent years for the rate of increase of benefit cases to outstrip debt. Employment and

Support Allowance is still our most common enquiry with other important subjects being general

benefit checks; Housing Benefit; Disability Living Allowance; Credit & store cards; Divorce &

separation; Council Tax arrears and Working & Child Tax Credit. The incidence of council tax arrears

has increased 54% on the previous year and is a significant concern but not surprising given recent

changes to council tax support legislation.

Despite the reduction in core funding the bureau has continued to attract project funding including

debt and budgeting advice to prevent homelessness, funded by Canterbury City Council, and a series

of financial capability classes funded by The MSE Charity, delivered to students applying to the

financial hardship fund at Christchurch University. The Macmillan East Kent Welfare Benefits Service,

delivered in partnership with Ashford CAB, has continued to exceed all targets seeing clients 40%

above target numbers. My thanks go to all the staff and volunteers on these projects who have

worked so hard to deliver such valuable additional services across East Kent. Thanks here must also

go to students and staff at the University of Kent School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social

Research who analysed Macmillan client feedback for us as part of their degree dissertations.

The bureau successfully secured funds from the Big Lottery to form an Advice Partnership in

Canterbury (see page 8) and I would like to add my thanks to all our partners, in particular the 28

solicitors and barristers who have given up their time voluntarily to deliver a pro bono

family law legal rota, this being the third free legal

rota on offer in Canterbury and highlights the

unusual position we occupy of having so many

people willing to give their time freely to help

others.

In 2015 we look forward to celebrating 75 years of

CAB in the Canterbury District. In addition to this,

congratulations go to two of our Herne Bay volun-

teers, Doreen Brookfield and Ken Finch who are

celebrating 21 years of advising for the

Citizens Advice Service. Thank you all.

Benefits, 3398

Consumer, 310

Debt, 2232

Education, 43

Employment, 1025

Financial, 220Health, 106

Housing, 706

Immigration, 143

Legal, 353

Other, 436

Relationships, 582Tax, 62

Travel, 77

Utilities, 120

Generalist Advice Issues

9813

Employment Specialist Report

Dr Geoff Lindley

Last year the government introduced charges for applications to an Employment Tribunal. To claim

unfair dismissal or discrimination requires an initial fee of £250 with a further £950 due when the

tribunal is listed for a hearing. A simpler wages claim requires an initial fee of £160 and a hearing fee

of £230. There is a fee remission system aimed at reducing these fees for claimants provided that

they have capital of less than £3000 and are on low income.

These charges have had a dramatic impact on tribunal applications. The latest statistics show that

since the fees were introduced the applications to employment tribunals have dropped by 74%. They

also indicate that initial applications for fee remission were only accepted in 4% of the cases.

At Canterbury District CAB I have seen the reality of this.

Prior to the introduction of fees I was putting

in five or six tribunal applications a month.

Since the fees were introduced this is down to

about one a month. Clients are not coming

into the CAB with their employment problems

and I assume that this is because they are

aware of the possibility of having to pay a fee.

There have been weeks when I have had no

appointments and this has never happened

before in 11 years of employment work. The

remission system does eventually work but it

frequently takes three or four applications to

get approval. Clients have to send in a

month’s pay slips and 3 month’s bank

statements for their partner and themselves.

They have to explain every credit on their

bank statements otherwise the application is rejected.

The government claim that the introduction of fees is a major success as the reduction in applications

shows how many frivolous claims there were previously. I believe that this is totally false and all that

has happened is that many individuals are now denied access to justice. There have been some recent

modifications to the remission system and it is hoped that eventually we will start to see more clients

with their employment problems.

Anyone wishing to discuss employment issues can contact Geoff via their local CAB office or e-mail

employment@canterburycab.cabnet.org.uk (but please note e-mail is not a secure method of

correspondence).

Canterbury City 2419

Canterbury Rural 849

Herne Bay 2733

Whitstable 1456

7457

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

Employment Debt Benefits Housing

12

28

23

33

33

97

70

6

12

06

20

89

36

42

77

1

10

25

22

32

33

98

70

6

2012

2013

2014

Advice Services Transition Fund (ASTF) Report Haydon Rouse

The Canterbury District Advice Partnership is funded by the Big Lottery and started in September 2013.

The purpose of our project is to:

understand the advice needs of our area; provide alternative methods of advice delivery; become

bid ready; identify new opportunities; develop partnership working

Canterbury District CAB/Canterbury Housing Advice Centre (CHAC) have recruited 6 members of staff

as part of the ASTF project

Haydon Rouse— Business Development Officer

Sarah Byrne—Debt Adviser

Gerry Smalley—Welfare Benefits Adviser

Suzanne Goody—Administrator

Lesley Brierley—Project Co-ordinator

Geoff Castle—Housing Adviser (CHAC)

We are the lead organisation of the Canterbury District Advice

Partnership which consists of 23 local advice agencies and

community organisations. Communication, meetings and

inter-agency referrals have all increased as a result of the

project.

In the first six months we carried out training sessions for frontline volunteer advisers in benefits, debt

and financial capability for the Probation Service and for the CAB. Further training sessions for partners

are being arranged. Partnership meetings take place at Thanington Resource Centre, generating rental

income for the centre.

We have been busy researching various different methods of delivering advice electronically and have

purchased hardware and software to enable end users to have video and web chat sessions with CAB

and CHAC advisers.

We have set up a Legal Rota Service with 28 solicitors and barristers in the Canterbury area, providing

individuals in need of family law legal advice with a free thirty minute consultation with a qualified

solicitor/barrister.

The Business Development Officer was successful in bidding for funding from Citizens Advice to

provide help and support to those affected by the flooding in January/February 2014. This enabled us

to employ a part-time member of staff to assist local householders and businesses with insurance

claims and to bid for grants to protect their properties from future flooding.

As part of our project we need to complete two Advice Needs Surveys. We have completed the survey

of organisations within the partnership and we are working on the survey of the advice needs of

individuals within the Canterbury District. This will help us plan and bid for future funding for the

District.

We now have created Twitter and Facebook accounts. Social media enables us to connect with service

users and supporters and keep them up to date with our latest news and fundraising activities. If you

haven’t already, please like and follow us on Facebook!

As the ASTF project progresses we want to put more emphasis on fundraising and investigating

income generating activities for the partners. This is a cultural change, as historically the CAB has

never charged for services. We will never charge individuals for advice but we must consider all other

potential revenue streams with traditional funding reducing year on year.

I would ask everyone to be aware of our fundraising targets, spread the word and support our work to

make the service more sustainable.

Fundraising at Sainsbury’s

2014

606

5

£1,017,283

£54,388

£125,536

10

Av 6 hrs p/w

The Macmillan Welfare Benefits Service (East Kent) has flourished as bureaux in Canterbury and Ash-

ford continued to collaborate to provide a welfare benefits service across East Kent for individuals,

their carers and families affected by cancer. The project has been joined this year by Sara Byrne

(Support Worker) and Suzanne Goody (Administrator) and saw the departure of Support Worker Kelda

Wong. Our thanks go to Kelda for her dedication to the project and we wish her well on her move.

Sara has settled well into the Macmillan Support Worker role and Suzanne Goody has capably taken on

administrative duties, organizing local students from the University of Kent in obtaining client feed-

back.

The Project had seen 606 unique clients by end of the year, (40% above target) and had raised

£1,197,207 in income for clients. This gave a return rate of £12.28 per £1 of funding. As a result of

this Macmillan Cancer Support agreed to increase the funding for 2014-15 to cope with the extra de-

mand in East Kent. All the staff and volunteers have worked extremely hard to produce these results

and have proved just how valuable a service this is to our local communities. I would like to thank all

the staff for their dedication to this project.

Summary of main Areas of Enquiry resolved via the

Help‐Line in Year 1 2013-2014

The Information and signposting team

Takes calls & e-mails from members of the

public and other professionals

Provides information e.g. Adviceguide

Maintains a signposting database

Listens to clients

Gathers details and records information

confidentially

Contact details

0808 801 0102 (calls free from landlines

and most mobile operators).

Helpline is staffed from 10am to 4pm

weekdays.

Answerphone out of hours with call back

on next working day.

E-mail: info@healthwatchkent.co.uk

Canterbury District CAB is part of the

Healthwatch network which

delivers Information and Signposting to

people in Kent about Health &

Social Issues. We refer through to the

helpline run by Shepway CAB.

Contacting for

information about us and to

volunteer

42%

Information on

local Health/ Social Care

Services

27%

Complaints

advocacy 3%

Issues/

Complaints 25%

Rights &

responsibilities 3%

Social Policy

Improving the policies and practices that affect people’s lives

Employment Tribunal representative commented on the BBC News website re: introduction

of Employment Tribunal fees which would prove a major barrier to justice for many of our

clients & that fees remission system was complicated, would be a barrier to many clients &

there would lead to a significant reduction in legitimate tribunal applications. BBC News

Room said would pass our comments round the local news rooms.

Debt Caseworker referred case to Financial Ombudsman Service regarding employee of

local branch of High Street Bank, Canterbury.

Macmillan Caseworker raised complaint with DWP re length of time to process Personal

Independence Payment claims for client affected by cancer.

Herne Bay Local Service Manager sent a complaint to Government Department

Tweeted about Bailiffs fees and warned people to obtain full breakdown of fees and charges

to avoid fictitious charges. Using our own social media as local Press appear reluctant to

publish bureau reports

Fed back queries re Kent Support and Assistance Scheme (KSAS) criteria, website and lack of

transparency about criteria to KSAS via APEK social policy meetings.

Speaker at AGM 2013 from Kent Support and Assistance Service - Commissioning Officer,

with Q&A.

Herne Bay adviser’s contributed to consultation on changes to Local Housing Allocation

policy. Local Authority has now excluded DLA/PIP from income in new Local Housing

Allocation Policy.

Reported to KSAS Steering Group about issues faced by our own clients and those of other

Kent bureaux and APEK members, commenting on effect of low prioritisation of single

people with no vulnerability for emergency help. KSAS agreed to look at issues of this

group. Summary of points raised at meeting and request for supportive cases circulated to

other Kent CAB Managers and Advice Partnership for East Kent (APEK) members.

Provided information about flooding to Fordwich Parish Council for newsletter.

Prompted by investigatory work of APEK in other East Kent local authority areas made

enquiries about spending of Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) by Canterbury City

Council. An extra £10,000 provided by DWP to local authority tracked down and allocated

to the DHP pot.

Following number of problems with bailiffs employed by City Council in pursuit of Council

Tax arrears it was noted that bailiffs were incorrectly charging for levying on cars and for

multiple visits. Council was approached about individual cases which were withdrawn form

bailiffs. CAB tweeted about this, warning people to request full breakdown of fees and

charges when billed by bailiffs and/or seek advice. Bureau Evidence forms sent to Citizens

Advice. Enforcement legislation changed in April 2014 which should stop such behaviour.

Bailiffs protocol to be established with CCC.

District Manager met with Kent and Medway Commissioning Support representatives to

feed into review of priorities regarding Enhanced Services to be offered by Local Clinical

Commissioning Group. Highlighted work of Macmillan East Kent Welfare Benefits Services

and needs of people affected by cancer for extra support to promote health and

wellbeing

Our Thanks go to our Funders Canterbury City Council for our core grant, for their parking credit for our volunteers,

Homelessness Prevention Funding and for a grant to redecorate the Herne Bay Office

Advice Services Fund Grant, Big Lottery Fund

Macmillan Cancer Support for Funding the East Kent Welfare Benefits Project

Legacy from the late Joan Williams (adviser)

The Friends of Canterbury District CAB

The co-operative membership Community Fund—for training 2 advisers

Dept. of Business, Industry & Skills for giving flood advice

The Rotary Clubs of Canterbury, Forest of Blean and Whitstable

The Dean and Chapter of Canterbury Cathedral

Advice Partnership for East Kent—equipment donation

Healthwatch

The Legal Aid Agency

The Kings School

Client Donations of Canterbury District CAB

Customers of Sainsbury’s Canterbury

Ursula Wacher for sale of jam and hire of bunting

Advice Issues by Funder – Totalling 9813

Big Lottery

Core—Canterbury City Council

CCC—Homelessness Prevention

Legal Aid Agency

Macmillan

Unidentified

Accounts Income & Expenditure Account for the year ended 31st March 2014

2014 2013

Income

Canterbury City Council 139,282 136,584

Legal Services Commission 7,719 39,418

Advice Services Transition Fund 99,459 70,000

Macmillan Cancer Support 94,247 97,700

Other Grants and Funding 4,745 20,224

Donations 19,437 8,906

Rental Income 7,847 6,362

Bank Interest 659 900

373,395 380,094

Expenditure Staff Costs 223,618 244,635

Establishment Costs 24,045 21,126

Travelling Costs 9,390 8,620

Administration Costs 2,105 1,684

Client Support Costs 70,378 89,556

329,536 365,621

Surplus on total funds for year 43,859 14,473

Arising from Unrestricted funds (Deficit)/Surplus (3,077) 23,646

Restricted funds Surplus/(Deficit) 46,936 (9,173)

Surplus on total funds for year 43,859 14,473

2013 2014

Fixed Assets 259,909 264,051

Current Assets Debtors and Prepayments 25,915 32,040

Cash at Bank and in Hand 141,631 69,287

167,546 101,327

Less: Liabilities 47,824 29,606

119,722 71,721

Net Assets 379,631 335,772

Being:

Unrestricted Funds General Fund 17,469 20,546

Restricted Funds Management and Maintenance Fund 40,096 40,590

Leasehold Property Fund 133,283 134,573

Legacy Fund 10,754 10,754

Freehold Property Fund 126,491 129,309

Advice Services Transition Fund 51,538 0

379,631 335,772

The core funding from Canterbury City Council reduced by £10,668 compared with the previous year. We also received £22,866. (2012: - £9,500) funding for debt advice, for which we are grateful.

The income from the Legal Services Commission ceased during this year, with a surplus of £1,564 (2013: loss £7,659) on the contract. All cases have now been closed or transferred back to the Legal Services Commission.

The Advice Services Transition Fund received £99,459 from The Office for Civil Society. £51,538 of this grant is carried forward in respect of monies in advance to cover future expenditure.

The funding from Macmillan Cancer Support, run in conjunction with Ashford CAB continued in the year. Funding of £94,247(2013 : £97,700) was received of which £35,152 (2013 : £24,528) was paid to Ashford CAB which cost is included in Client Support Costs.

Funds were received from Citizens Advice in respect of the Flood and Storm Damage Response. A sum of £5000 was received and will be spent during the

The unexpected perks of a job well done

- a gift from a satisfied client.

Some feedback from the

February 2014 Satisfaction Survey Thanks! Great to have somewhere to share the burden!

The CAB has given me the confidence to fight my case

Grateful for prompt advice and literature sent

Very quick & efficient

Local, not too far to travel and easy to find

Anxiety reduced knowing there is someone to talk to

CANTERBURY DISTRICT CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU Benefits, Debt, Legal, Housing, Health, Family, Consumer, Relationships, Finance,

Utilities, Immigration, Employment, Education, Tax.

Specialist units covering Debt, Welfare Benefits, Employment.

Disability Benefits Form Filling.

Specialist Welfare Benefits Advice for people and their families affected by cancer.

Training Courses offered in debt, welfare benefits and financial capability.

Ring 01227 740647 for details on how to join us and

become an Adviser or Administrator

Or

Join The Friends of Canterbury District CAB and support a valuable local charity

If you would like to acknowledge Canterbury District CAB in your Will please contact the

District Manager Simone Field on 01227 364725 or by e-mail

distman@canterburycab.cabnet.co.uk

Without us, many people would have no-one to turn to.

Without you, we could not continue to help.

To donate £5 text: CCAB22 £5 to 70070

Our thanks go to Lee Rigley at the Kings School in Canterbury for the printing of this report

and to Diana Hill for the design.