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Allyson Broadhurst Managing Director

Charis provides businesses and organizations across the UK with bespoke solutions to help vulnerable customers. With over 15 years of experience, Charis administers charitable trusts, hardship funds, rebate schemes, social tariff schemes, and provides audit support. They help identify and assist those struggling with low income and vulnerability, prioritize bills, reduce debt, and improve long-term financial situations.

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Allyson Broadhurst Managing Director

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  1. Allyson BroadhurstManaging Director

  2. Charis Operating since 2003, Charis provides businesses and other organisations across the UK with bespoke solutions to helping vulnerable customers. Currently Charis administer a range of schemes that include: • charitable trusts • hardship funds/welfare assistance schemes • rebate schemes (Warm Homes Discount) • social tariff schemes • audit support Businesses can • reduce the cost of helping vulnerable customers • achieve corporate goals • reduce their administrative burden • benefit from Charis’ wealth of experience in assessment and other supporting services

  3. Who can be helped? Research data shows • The schemes have considerable reach, and can help identify those who ‘can’t pay’, due to low income and vulnerability • Households struggling to pay priority bills (eg rent, energy, water) tend to be struggling generally • Debt is a particular problem for households with children, single parents and single people, especially pensioners • There is a relationship between priority debts, fuel /water poverty and financial hardship • Most people find out about schemes via referral (eg supplier or care professional) but 3rd sector is an important source of advice

  4. What are the outcomes of helping those in need? In providing financial relief and other essential services to those in poverty and hardship…. • accurate assessment against criteria ensures so those in need have the right financial and other support – services and signposting • can return individuals and families to financial sustainability and reduce debt related stress through a holistic approach • facilitates lines of communication re. on-going payments • provides information and data • positive PR / customer loyalty • recommend money advice to improve long term financial situation

  5. Schemes Charitable Trusts British Gas & Scottish Gas Energy Trust (including Sainsbury’s) EDF Energy Trust Hardship/Welfare Assistance npower Energy fund ( provisional award ) North Yorkshire Local Assistance Scheme Cambridgeshire Welfare Assistance Scheme South East Water ( provisional award) Anglian Water Assistance Fund (provisional award) Affinity Water – pilot: social tariff and hardship scheme

  6. Schemes Warm Home Discount Scheme British Gas npower Scottish Power First Utility Tariff Scheme South East Water’s Customer Metering Programme Sutton and East Surrey Water ( April 14) In 2013/14 Charis…. • administered trust funds in excess of £28m, assessing circa 60,000 applications. 2014/15 awards and volumes will be significantly higher. • administered over 500,000 Warm Homes Discount applications, from sign-up to validation, and has had clean reports from Ofgem since scheme Yr1 • supplied mailing services, debt advice lines, customer help lines, training and presentations to 3rd sector agencies and client’s internal staff

  7. What help is available? Qualitative & quantitative assessments show priority of need: • Trust /Funds grants - a one off award ( eg BGET) or provisional scheme to clear debt and – for Trusts – provision of other services: • Further Assistance Payments(FAPs) – help with a priority bill or essential household purchase. Applicants do not need to have utility debt. Example: BGET Trust – anyone can apply. ‘Further Assistance’ includes • Household Items • Boilers, radiators • Bankruptcy Deposits/DRO • Telephone/Utility Arrears or other priority debts • Funeral Expenses • Rent/Council Tax Arrears • Signposting to other services and support eg energy efficiency schemes, WHD Charis operate a unique ‘shared programme’ where an applicant is eligible for help from any fund via one application and assessment, provided they meet the criteria.

  8. What help is available? Example: npower Hardship Fund - a provisional award scheme for npower customers only Aim - to support applicants in debt. No Further Assistance Payments. Applications are assessed by Charis to show priority of need. • Applicants recommended for award are contacted by npower to arrange ongoing, affordable payments for current charges, and an agreed payment format. • A provisional award is granted against the debt, which is set aside for a 3 month provisional period. • Applicants must ensure payments are made for ongoing charges for the 3 month period in order to receive the debt award. Failure to meet the ongoing monthly charges will result in the debt award not being granted.

  9. Other schemes Debt Support –outbound telephone advice re budgeting support for very vulnerable customers (British Gas & Affinity Water) following application. Online application support (referral via Affinity Water) Warm Home Discount Schemes – since scheme inception; Sign up and validation services, online and hardcopy: rapid assessment via scanned/teleform tick box process L.A. Welfare Assistance Schemes – to help those in severe need on low incomes or means tested benefits with essential needs, in locality, via ‘authorised agents’. Online, same day assessment for rapid turn-around. Food parcels, household goods, paypoint payments for emergency energy provision, rent deposit/removal costs. Tariff Scheme – making water bills affordable:1.Compulsory metering programme support.2. Scheme to ensure eligible households have assessment and annual award

  10. Supporting projects Many applications are a result of the extensive networks Charis has developed with Third sector organisations across UK to help individuals with money advice and applications. All the current Trusts ( British Gas Energy Trust, EDF Energy and Affinity Water Trust) provide significant funds via Charis-managed projects • Grants to Advice Organisations. Projects in community to provide fuel debt advice, education and support eg energy/water efficiency advice, signposting to WHD, boilers & heating and other schemes, budgeting and welfare advice and application support for grant aid to other sources of help. Full training for sponsored advisers. • Presentations and training. Project management includes performance monitoring of each agency, close scrutiny against contract KPIs, and a PBR (payment by results) approach. Regular reporting, support and training are provided. Regular presentations ensure schemes are regularly profiled.

  11. Application • Online – all schemes; individual or via authorised agent for rapid response • Email downloaded application form - attaching scanned supporting evidence. • Hard copy – for utility schemes, application forms can be - downloaded from the Trusts’ websites or requested via our telephone request line. • Freepostreturn with supporting documents • By telephone (Local Authority Scheme only) Reapplications- Trusts and Funds • Successful applicants: some can reapply after a two year period (BGET and EDFET). • Unsuccessful applicants: can reapply but money advice support strongly recommended first

  12. Application criteria Utility awards – trusts and funds • Financial stability going forward, with recent (>3mths) documentary evidence. • A balancing and realistic weekly budget. • A thorough explanation and justification of how the arrears have arisen. ‘Can’t pay, not won’t pay’. • Any vulnerability, need, hardship or distress. • If criteria are not met, could we make a quality of life award in exceptionalcircumstances only? WHD Declaration - Meeting of criteria and signed tick box declaration form. Validation - Documentary evidence, meeting all relevant criteria (5-10%). Welfare Assistance Schemes Online application via authorised agent in locality, meeting eligibility criteria. Very quick response to meet urgent need.

  13. Why Charis? • Wealth of experience in scheme management, service provision & understanding of vulnerable issues. • Arms length assessment for vulnerable individuals & families. • Experienced staff with benefits and welfare knowledge • Secure data systems. All employees CRB checked. • Ease of application, web based information & responsive, simple online access Contact www.charisgrants.com 01733 421021

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