In 2005 The Royal British Legion conducted comprehensive research into the needs of the ex-Service community. One of the key findings was the high level of financial problems encountered by this client group.
To address this issue the Royal British Legion and the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund agreed to fund Citizens Advice to provide a holistic service offering advice on benefits and money matters to serving and ex-service personnel, their partners and dependants.
The Benefits and money advice service was officially launched in December 2007, with funded positions in 18 Citizens Advice Bureaux. Caseworkers in a further 11 locations have since joined the service. Bureaux taking part in the partnership are:
East: Colchester
London: Enfield
Midlands: Birmingham, North East Derbyshire, Sleaford
North east: Newcastle, Richmondshire, Scarborough, Sheffield Debt Support Unit
North west: Carlisle, Chester, Chorley, Manchester, North Liverpool * South east: Eastbourne, Medway, Portsmouth, Rushmoor, West Oxfordshire
South west: Bristol, Carrick, Dorchester, Kennet, Plymouth, Exeter
Wales: Caerphilly, Denbighshire, Gwynedd, Ynys Mon
A publication to mark the first six months of the partnership has been produced. This sets out the impact the new service is having upon the lives of clients who seek advice – a total of some £500,000 was found in the first six months of the partnership for clients in unclaimed benefits and decreases in debt since meeting a caseworker.
* Download file Benefits and money advice service (Adobe Acrobat Document 0.76mb)
Additional funding is also being provided to Citizens Advice to develop related information in AdviserNet and www.adviceguide.org.uk for ex-services personnel; enhance CAB social policy work in relation to serving personnel and veterans, and enhance case management recording system in respect of this client group.
How the service helped Robert and Martha Robert* (aged 70), who served in the RAF, lives with his wife Martha* (68) in their own mortgaged property. They have health and debt problems, including mortgage arrears for which they had received a suspended possession order. They decided that the only way out of their problems was to sell their house.
Robert and Martha were advised by The Royal British Legion to seek support from the Benefits and money advice service at their local CAB. The bureau investigated their situation, and decided that there were options open to them, other than selling their home. A successful claim was made for pension credit which qualified them for immediate help with their mortgage. Applications were also made for attendance allowance and invalid care allowance.
These increased their income and subsequently qualified them for severe disability and carer premiums on pension credit. Once the benefits were in place, Robert and Martha were able to show that they could maintain all of their priority expenditure without further risk of arrears. The Royal British Legion then agreed to pay off their outstanding mortgage arrears preventing any repossession taking place. Using the Benefits and money advice service made the difference between them keeping or losing their home.
*Names have been changed to protect their anonymity.