How will Housing Benefit changes impact on the voluntary sector advice agencies? John Holmstrӧm

1. How will Housing Benefit changes impact on the voluntary sector advice agencies? John Holmstrӧm Assistant Chief Executive BHT John.holmstrom@bht.org.uk

2. Who is the voluntary sector advice sector? General Advice:- is advice offered by a range of providers from the Statutory and Third Sectors, notably organisations such as Age Concern, Care for the Carers and Citizens Advice Bureaux. Specialist Legal Advice:- is advice provided through a Legal Service’s Commission contract; Legal Help (previously referred to as Legal Aid). This may be provided by the voluntary sector or private solicitors

3. East Sussex Advice Plus • Big Lottery Advice Plus Funded see http://www.esap.org.uk/ • Citizens Advice, BHT, Hasting Advice and Representation Centre and NCDA • Developed • Advice Strategy http://bit.ly/fohVut • Financial Inclusion strategy http://bit.ly/eOuW6h • Julie Eason and Trudy Allen • advice@esap.org.uk • 01323 413481

4. Citizens Advice Crowborough General Advice & access to Specialist Debt, Housing and Welfare Benefit Advice Citizen Advice Uckfield General Advice, Specialist Debt & access to Specialist Housing and Welfare Benefit Advice Hastings Advice & Representation Centre General and Specialist Welfare Benefit Advice Citizens Advice Hailsham General Advice & access to Specialist Debt, Housing and Welfare Benefit Advice Citizens Advice 1066 General Advice & Specialist Debt Advice Citizens Advice Lewes General advice, with specialist advice in Welfare Benefit and Money Advice and access to County Court Helpdesk Advisor Brighton Housing Trust – Hastings Advice Specialist Housing Advice Newhaven Advice Hub General Advice & access to Specialist Housing and Welfare Benefit Advice and Money Advice Citizens Advice Rother General Advice & specialist Money Advice Brighton Housing Trust – Eastbourne Advice Centre Specialist Housing and Welfare Benefit Advice Citizens Advice Eastbourne General Advice and Specialist Employment and Debt Advice. Specialist Advice in Equalities (employment) Citizens Advice Seaford General Advice and specialist Money Advice

5. General Advice - Debt DEBT ADVICE- one of the most frequent enquiry areas. CAB Advisers are trained to help people deal with debt problems and can assist with:- • contacting creditors • writing letters • working out client budgets and • making offers of repayment. In some cases clients may need to be referred to a Money Advice Specialist, available within all of the Bureau’s, or to a specialist legal debt advice service. www.adviceguide.org.uk provides a range of packs, assessments etc

6. Specialist Legal Help –Debt Advice Eastbourne and Hastings (1066) Citizens Advice Bureaux have Specialist Legal Debt Advice services, which assist with:- Non-priority DebtsPriority Debt, County Court Judgements, Representation at Court, Bankruptcy& IVA’s Citizens Advice 1066:- 24 Cornwallis Terrace, Hastings TN34 1EQ Tel: 01424 721386 Citizens Advice Eastbourne:- Unit 6 Highlight House, 8 St Leonards Road, Eastbourne BN21 3UH Tel: 01323 417177 The 8 Citizens Advice Bureaux in East Sussex also offer specialist Money Advice, this includes help to consider options, information and assistance with priority and non priority debts, income maximisation, Debt Relief Orders etc

7. Specialist Legal Advice –Housing Brighton Housing Trust (Eastbourne Advice Centre and Hastings Advice) provides specialist legal housing advice:- DisrepairHomelessness Tenancy RightsAllocation Policies Rent or Mortgage Arrears End of Term Tenancy • BHT - Hastings Advice:- 16 Havelock Road, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 1BP Tel: 01424 452610 • BHT – Eastbourne Advice Centre:- Braemar House, 28 Saint Leonard's Road, Eastbourne BN21 3UT Tel: 01323 642615 BHT provides Outreach Benefit Advice services at each of the Wealden Citizens Advice Bureaux and at Newhaven Community Development Association

8. How is advice sector planning for welfare reforms • NCDA (Newhaven Advice Hub) leading consulation with advice partners on key changes in order to • Map changes and plan for demand • Plan training and service design • Prepare information for clients • Self help packs • East Sussex Advice Plus will disseminate

9. Challenges for Advice Sector – The Perfect Storm • Advice sector badly affected by expenditure cuts just as demand created by social welfare reforms will increase • Legal Aid Consultation – removal of debt and welfare benefits advice from Legal Help • Housing Advice limited and to be delivered mainly through phone advice

10. Challenges for Advice Sector – The Perfect Storm • Support legal aid campaign • http://www.justice-for-all.org.uk/ • Vote on http://bit.ly/ibubRs • Local Authority under pressure to pass on cuts to advice sector. • Advice and Financial Inclusion Strategy demonstrates shows how investment in advice will brings strong returns in prevention, improved well being and help into work and learning • Independent advice not just about rights enforcement but also responsibilities and achieving self reliance

11. Working with Private Sector Landlords • Key changes • LHA at 30% percentile – new lets from April 2011 • Single room restriction extended to under 35’s April 2012 • LA’s can pay direct to landlords where they keep rent within LHA levels • Loss of £15 differential where rent below LHA April 2011 • Temporary Accommodation/Private Sector Leasing levels stable for 2 years • VOA website for LHA levels. 30th per centile is published http://bit.ly/ezcMGP

12. LHA at 30th Per Centile March 2011

13. PRS Access and landlord support • BHT has obtained CRISIS/DCLG funding for PRS Access workers in Hastings and Eastbourne • Focus on accommodation training and tenancy preparation • Building landlord confidence and ensuring successful tenancies is priority • See http://bit.ly/hHLJpO for BHT PRS Services • Leasing Schemes – BHT use as stepping to stone to find own long term accommodation. Contact phil.oakley@bht.org.uk • Direct lets (e.g. Lets Start at Hastings Borough Council)

14. Online Advice General Advice www.advicenow.org.uk - Advice Uk www.adviceguide.org.uk – (CAB) A good source of advice and information) www.communitylegaladvice.org.uk – Free, confidential and independent legal advice Debt Advice www.moneyadvicemap.com – lists all organisations providing money and debt advice www.nationaldebtline.co.uk – debt and money advice www.cccs.so.uk – Consumer Credit Counselling Service; Free debt management plans, debt help, debt advice and debt solutions for people with UK debts.