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exeter Newsletter November 2015
Contents
Editorial
Join us for a Christmas
thank you!
Christmas Closing
Hello/Goodbye
The Family Law
Company joins Exeter
CAB Legal Clinic
Scheme
Minister for Civil Society
visits Exeter CAB
Housing Repossessions
A Trustee’s Perspective
Long service award
Asking our clients how
our service has helped
Apprenticeship scheme
extended
Advice trend statistics
Start the New Year with
a debt detox
New service launched
for working age carers
Healthwatch Devon
Autumn newsletter
Research and
Campaigning Update
Economic well-being
survey service
Advice column
Following the announcement
from the Department for
Work and Pensions (DWP) of
changes to benefit sanctions
policy we are calling for a
genuine yellow card system
to be introduced for benefit
claimants facing a sanction.
This must be the beginning
of the end of ‘sanction first,
ask questions later’. A fair and
effective sanctions regime does have
a role to play in the welfare system,
but it must not make it harder for
people to find a job. New guidance
for Jobcentre staff is a positive step
towards an ‘intelligent’ system of
conditionality which is less
punitive and more likely to
support people into work.
A 14 day period to give
evidence that a sanction
should not be imposed
should lead to fewer people
being unfairly sanctioned,
as they have time to ensure
that the Jobcentre has the
full picture about their circumstances.
However there is still room for a
genuine yellow card system, where
people are given a warning but are
not sanctioned the first time they
don’t meet the conditions of their
claim.
Editorial
We would like to invite all our stakeholders and partner agencies to join us for a mince pie and a glass of wine or fruit juice. The event will take place from
6.00pm to 7.00pm on Thursday 17th December 2015.
We will also be marking the contribution that Hazel Ball made to our charity
during her 35 years with us. Hazel’s husband, Jeff, will be unveiling a plaque as part of this event.
Please contact
[email protected] if you would like to attend so that we can make sure that we have plenty of mince pies!
Continued overleaf
Join us for a Christmas thank you!
Christmas Closing
We will close to the public over the Christmas and New
Year period from 3.30pm on Wednesday 23rd December 2015
and reopen at 10.00am on Tuesday 5th January 2016.
You can now follow us on Twitter or
like our Facebook page.
Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau NEWSLETTER November 2015
While it is good news that hardship payments will
become easier to access, it is still worrying that
vulnerable people being sanctioned still have to
jump through administrative hoops to get
financial support. We would like to see a fairer
system where there is a limit to how much of a
vulnerable person’s benefits can be sanctioned.
This would ensure that no vulnerable person
sanctioned while on Job Seekers Allowance or
Employment and Support Allowance is left
entirely without income.
A report from the Financial Conduct Authority
(FCA) in November outlined the extent of credit
card debt in Britain. More than 1.6million people
can only afford to make the minimum payments
on their credit cards, leaving them racking up
interest payments and struggling to get out of
debt.
Credit card debts can quickly spiral out of control.
Borrowers who only pay off the minimum amount
or fall behind can soon find themselves trapped in
a cycle of debts.
Mainstream debt problems, from credit cards to
formal loans, only tell part of the story. We are
seeing increasing numbers of people come to us
struggling with priority debts, like council tax and
rent arrears. It’s absolutely essential the
Government ensures people can access
independent advice and support on how to
manage their finances and prevent problems
arising in the first place.
We have welcomed a decision that Dollar
Financial UK will refund £15.4million to 147,000
customers. The company, which owns payday
loan brands like The Money Shop, gave loans to
borrowers who in some cases could not afford to
repay. The company agreed compensation after a
review by the FCA.
A lack of checks by payday lenders trapped many
borrowers in dangerous debts. Dollar Financial UK
is the latest company to agree to repay customers
which shows problems with payday loans were
widespread. The products themselves and the
protections around them were wholly inadequate.
It is good the FCA has again targeted this type of
behaviour and that customers will be refunded.
The regulator must also make sure other risky
products, like logbook and guarantor loans, are
properly policed so that they don’t become the
next payday loans.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to
wish all our readers a Happy Christmas and
prosperous New Year.
Editorial continued
Steve Barriball
Chief Executive
Hello, Goodbye …...
Information guides Sophie, Hannah, Andrea
and Daron came on rota in June.
Advisers Prue and Phil have converted from
Gateway Assessors to Advisers
Administration Audrey and Daron have
volunteered to provide admin support.
Recruitment day Sept 15
Following our recruitment day 5
new advisers and 5 new
Gateway Assessors have started
their training
Apprentice Jemima joined us in October and is
working with the Advice Services Team.
Gateway Assessors Carol left in September and
will be missed.
Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau NEWSLETTER November 2015
We were delighted to host a recent visit from the
Minister for Civil Society, Rob Wilson. The
Minister came to see our More Brighter Futures
project which is funded by the Big Lottery Fund.
Dennis Mardon, Chair of Exeter CAB said:
“The Minister was clearly interested in the work
that we do, and the way that volunteers are
integral to all we do here at Exeter CAB. He was
also interested to hear about our plans to engage
more widely with local businesses so that we can
improve our services and make more short term
volunteering opportunities available to their
staff.”
Rob Wilson, Minister for Civil Society said: “I
am grateful to Dennis and the team for organising
the visit. I was very impressed with the number,
long service and dedication of the volunteers I
met during my visit.”
Catherine Stevens, Policy and Learning
Manager from the Big Lottery Fund said: “We
were delighted that the Minister was able to visit
one of the many local lottery funded projects in
Exeter and to hear about the impact that our
funding is having on local people, including those
benefitting from new volunteering opportunities.”
The Family Law Company joins Exeter CAB
legal clinic scheme
We are delighted to announce that The Family Law
Company will be joining our successful legal clinic
scheme. The scheme enables CAB clients to access
free legal advice from local law firms. The Family
Law Company will be providing CAB clients with
specialist advice on family and relationship issues.
Exeter CAB Chief Executive Steve Barriball
said: “We are delighted that the Family Law
Company will be joining our legal clinic scheme.
This has proved very popular with clients who are
otherwise unable to afford legal fees. We are
particularly delighted to secure the services of The
Family Law Company as we have seen an 18%
increase in enquiries this year about family and
relationship issues.”
Donna Hart from the Family Law Company
said: “The CAB offers much help and support to
the local residents of
Exeter. We are pleased
to be able to offer our
specialist family law
services and assist the
CAB with the great
work that they
continually offer to our
community.”
The Family Law
Company will be joining
Michelmores LLP and
Veitch Penny LLP who
already support the
legal clinic scheme.
CAB clients can access the legal clinic scheme
through the usual CAB service.
Minister for Civil Society visits Exeter CAB
From l to r Dennis Mardon, Rob Wilson, Steve Barriball
Donna Hart and Steve Barriball
Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau NEWSLETTER November 2015
Welcome 31% drop in housing repossessions
We have welcomed an overall 31% decrease in
repossession cases listed at Exeter County Court
in the 6-month period ending 30th September
2015. This is in comparison with the same period
last year.
Across all housing sectors, where a CAB adviser
has assisted clients facing repossession, clients
have avoided repossession in almost 90% of
cases. Exeter City Council has provided financial
support for this essential service.
Steve Barriball, Exeter Citizens Advice
Bureau Chief Executive, said:
“We have at least one adviser present at the
Court each Tuesday morning to advise and
advocate for clients. In the last six months there
were 268 cases listed for repossession, a 31.2%
decrease on the same period last year. There
have been very significant reductions across both
mortgage (56.9%) and local authority (38.1%)
sectors, and further decreases of 15.5% in the
private sector and a small reduction of 2.2% in
housing association repossessions. The number of
repossession actions by Exeter City Council was
down by a massive 63.5%. There was an average
of around 10 cases listed across all housing
sectors each week.”
Steve explained:
“These reductions in repossessions are clearly
good news. However, in recent months we have
started to see the number of cases brought by
housing associations and private landlords
increase when compared to the first quarter of the
financial year. In addition, with many
commentators predicting an increase in interest
rates in late 2016/early 2017, homeowners need
time to adjust to any interest rate increase. With
historically low interest rates, a rise in rates will
make things harder for those already struggling,
and push those who are just about managing over
the edge. “
Steve continued:
“To limit the pressure on families’ budgets, any
rises in interest rates should be slow, steady, and
come with plenty of warning. We have seen
evidence showing that one in five homeowners
will fall into arrears when interest rates rise.
Access to money and debt advice will be essential
to help prevent large numbers of people falling
into problem debt. Any increase in mortgage
interest rates may also impact on the private
letting sector as those with buy-to-let mortgages
will also see an increase in costs and face
challenges meeting these costs.”
Steve finished by saying:
“I am grateful to the workforce of the Bureau for
providing this essential service to families facing
repossession. We are also grateful to Exeter City
Council for funding this service.”
Repossession trends in the period 1 April – 30 September
Sector 2014/15 Repossessions
2015/16 Repossessions
Difference % Change
Housing Association 87 85 -2 -2.2%
Private 58 49 -9 -15.5%
Local authority 152 94 -58 -38.1%
Mortgage 93 40 -53 -56.9%
Total 390 268 -122 -31.2%
Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau NEWSLETTER November 2015
It’s great to have the opportunity to
contribute to this newsletter and talk
about the role Trustees make to our
charity and the importance of Trustees to
the charity sector in general.
I was originally approached to join Exeter
CAB and become its Chairman over 11
years ago when I was leaving my post in
the public sector where I had regularly had
contact with the Bureau. Looking back, I know
that had I been pre-warned about the approach I
would have prepared an excuse and turned down
the offer. As it was, I was caught off guard and
with no excuse ready I accepted. I wonder how
many other people who could contribute so much
have an excuse and say no. Looking back and
thinking about my life, both private and with the
Bureau, I realise that I have received as much
benefit from my involvement as I have hopefully
given.
So, what should the Trustees be doing?
Clearly managing the Governance of the charity
and ensuring that the Governance is effective is a
prime responsibility but there are other important
aspects of a Trustee’s role - supporting the staff
and volunteers by being visible and
knowledgeable, representing the Charity at
meetings and functions and developing
relationships with other organisations be they
public sector, private sector or the charity sector.
As the years have passed I have become acutely
aware of the danger of being Chair for too long
and becoming “presidential” or dictatorial. This
can be a danger when other Trustees are
disengaged and are happy to leave the
Chairperson “to get on with it” with the CEO. With
my Trustees and the CEO we faced this danger
head on and over the last 6-7 years have ensured
that all Trustees are fully engaged.
As part of this process I stepped
down from Chairing our Resources
Committee and our Working Group
with the Board appointing new
chairs to these committees and a
new Vice-Chair of the Bureau who
also chairs the Working Group.
Many organisations (including
Citizens Advice) advise limiting the period a Chair
sits to 2 or 3 years. Certainly, as a new Trustee, it
took me at least 2-3 years to get in to the job and
know the organisation and feel that having to
finish after, say 3 or 4 years, meant that my
experience, like many other Chairs, would have
been wasted. I also believe that such a rule
papers over the real problems of poor governance
in many organisations and often results in
excellent chairs being lost to the sector.
It is important that new Trustees meet the needs
of the charity and not just approached through
current Trustee or senior management contacts.
When we last needed to appoint new trustees we
treated the process like any appointment of staff
and identified the essential and desirable
attributes we required to augment the skills the
Board already possessed. The outcome was the
appointment of 2 excellent new Trustees.
After 11 years, if I was asked if I would do it
again the answer would be a resounding YES.
I only wish that other people would use their skills
and experience developed in their working life to
assist a charity especially now that so much more
is expected of charities and volunteers in
supporting people in need of help.
Dennis Mardon
Chair Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau
A Trustee’s Perspective
Repossession trends in the period 1 April – 30 September
Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau NEWSLETTER November 2015
Asking our clients how our service has helped
At our last Board meeting we were
delighted to present Mike Maguire with
his long-service award.
Mike joined the Board of Exeter CAB in
1985, and is currently Chairman of the
Operations and Policy Committee. He is
also an important champion for our
research and campaigns work. His
attention to detail is really valued, as is
his questioning mind, humour and
dedication.
Mike is able to bring a wealth of
experience to our work and as
Chairman of the Operations
and Policy Committee he has
brought about improvements
to the services we provide to
clients and improvements for
our volunteer workforce.
Over the last 30 years, we
have been very fortunate to
have been able to benefit
from his insights over this
period.
Mike Maguire being presented with his award
by Dennis Mardon
Well deserved long service award for Mike Maguire
We decided that we wanted to find out what
clients thought of our assessment process. When a
client phones or comes in to see us they receive a
short assessment to see what should happen next.
It may be the person providing the assessment
can help them straight away, or refer them to
another more appropriate agency . 50% of clients
are helped in the assessment process, and the
other 50% need further advice.
The statistics tell us of the 50% of people helped
straight away 90% don’t come back . We decided
we would find out why this was by completing a
short questionnaire with clients.
We phoned 158 clients. On average clients rated
our customer service and their satisfaction as 4.6
out of 5. The majority of people who scored 4 out
of 5 and 5 out of 5 also said that their problem
was completely resolved or partly resolved.
There were certain types of problems that we were
more likely to be able to help with in an initial
assessment, such as problems with a trader. So
we may be able to target our services in the future
based on information about specific problems.
However the overwhelming feedback was that
people valued this service and this can be seen by
the feedback:
Made client confident that she could resolve
issue
Client feels best
outcome achieved in
circumstances
“The information your
lady gave me helped
me when I talked to
child maintenance”
“Used information you gave, all very useful”
Gave confidence to change supplier “changed
my life, has given me confidence”
“You guys were great”
Other points that came out were that clients
appreciated being listened to, they also valued
that they could phone or drop in and be offered
help with their problems as not many other
agencies offer this service.
Overall the feedback showed the importance of the
service to clients. This could be tweaked for even
better client outcomes and satisfaction. However,
we would be foolish to revolutionise our services
as they are already meeting the needs of our
clients.
Rachel Nicholson
Team Leader
Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau NEWSLETTER November 2015
Apprenticeship scheme extended
We are delighted to announce the extension of
our successful apprenticeship scheme. We
launched our first apprenticeship scheme in April
2014 when we recruited two Business
Administration and Customer Service apprentices
through Exeter College.
Steve Barriball, Chief Executive of Exeter
CAB, said: “Both apprentices have exceeded our
expectations. The experience for us has been a
very positive one. Jenny and Vicki have found
challenges in their first year, but they have met
these challenges head on and carried out their
work with enthusiasm and efficiency. We are
delighted to extend
these positions until
30th September
2016.”
CAB apprentice,
Jenny Guyers,
said: “I decided on
an apprenticeship as
a way to improve
my skills within the
workplace. The job advertised with the CAB was
the kind of role that I was looking to do and
offered the opportunity to get involved with all
aspects of the charity.
The job has given me confidence in carrying out a
wide variety of office work and taught me that life
is not always black and white.”
Vicki Tate, also a CAB apprentice, said:
“Wanting to move into something new in a fiercely
competitive job market was almost impossible for
me. I chose an apprenticeship as an opportunity
to start afresh and learn on the job in a
supportive
environment. For
me this seemed the
best way to go.
Working at Exeter
CAB has given me a
wealth of
experience. The
variety of roles has
allowed me to see
the many sides of
the charity and the
positive impact it has. I feel quite strongly about
remaining in the charitable sector where the work
I do can make a difference.”
Alex Yeo, from Exeter College said: “Taking
on an apprentice is a fantastic way for an
organisation to build and develop its workforce.
Vicki and Jenny were excellent students
throughout level 2, submitting high quality work
and demonstrating their skills and abilities in the
office environment. I am very pleased that they
were both so keen to move up to the level 3
Advanced Apprenticeship, which they have
recently started, and am confident that they will
continue to thrive in their roles and provide a
valuable contribution to the charity.”
Steve finished by saying: “We are very proud of
the impact that Jenny and Vicki have had on the
charity. This is why are delighted that we have
been able to take on a third apprentice in
October.”
Jenny Guyers
Vicki Tate
Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau NEWSLETTER November 2015
We have published our advice trend statistics for
September 2015.
Clients with urgent, or priority debts, owed an
average of £6,088.76 to their creditors, an
increase of 93%, or £2942.28 per client. Urgent
debts include things like mortgage, rent and council
tax. The increase in the amounts owed to urgent,
or priority, creditors is a real worry. Coupled with
increases in enquires about things such as housing
benefit, council tax arrears, and tax credits this is a
clear indication that for those in debt many are
struggling to keep up with essential costs such as
mortgage, rent and council tax payments.
We helped 30% more people; with 3781 people
helped directly with advice and information on 8455
individual problems since 1 April 2015. The amount
of advice that we have been able to provide
compared to last year, was as follows:
Welfare benefits
Overall, we dealt with 26% more welfare benefit
enquiries this year. The main increases being:
33.3% increase in enquiries about housing
benefit
30.4% increase in enquiries about tax credits
28.5% increase in enquiries about disability
benefits (PIP/DLA)
26.5% increase in enquiries about employment
and support allowance
Debt
Overall, we dealt with 9% fewer debt enquires this
year. The main changes being:
21.4% increase in enquiries about council tax
arrears
12.0% increase in enquiries about catalogue
and mail order debts
11.9% reduction in average client debt
amounts (£11,150.11)
36.2% reduction in enquires about bankruptcy
and debt relief orders
Employment
Overall, we dealt with 31% more employment
enquiries this year. The main changes being:
100.0% increase in enquiries about dispute
resolution
40.3% increase in enquiries about dismissal
26.4% increase in enquiries about pay and
entitlements
Housing
Overall, we dealt with 34% more housing enquiries
this year. The main changes being:
66.6% increase in enquiries about actual
homelessness
46.4% increase in enquiries about owner
occupier property
38.1% increase in enquiries about private
sector property
Exeter CAB Chief Executive Steve Barriball
said: “The growing economy needs to lead to a
more secure future for all:- whether people are
starting out as self-employed; a parent trying to
balance work with childcare or someone who is in
work but needs extra support. These are all features
contributing to other increases in client enquiries.
We need to see more action from the Government to
address failings in the benefits system, provide more
security for those in work, and provide additional
assistance to those struggling to get on the property
ladder; either as property owners or tenants.”
Steve continued: “Households need to be primed
and ready for a rise in interest rates. Many people
are just about managing financially which means
even a small interest rate rise can tip them over the
edge. Any rise in interest rates must be slow and
steady so people have time to adjust. Creditors can
help borrowers by explaining the impact a rise will
have and help them to prepare, as well as
recognising where they can be flexible to help people
keep afloat.”
Steve finished by saying:
“Our commitment is always to provide the advice
people need for the problems they face. However,
we can only continue to do this if we have the
necessary resources and we need to increase public
and business donations. Anyone wishing to support
our work can donate on-line by going to the
Donation Support section of our website
(www.exetercab.org.uk)”
Alternatively, donations can be made in person at
the Bureau offices on Dix’s Field in Exeter.
Advice trend statistics
Priority debts rise by £2942 per client
Start the New Year with a debt detox!
Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau NEWSLETTER November 2015
We are urging people to start the New Year
with good resolutions to manage their money.
Last year we dealt with almost 4500 new debt
problems, totaling more than £9.5m, the
equivalent of more than 80 new debt problems
every week. The figure is expected to remain
high into 2016.
Steve Barriball, Chief Executive, says
“People are paying a high price for being
ill-informed and lacking confidence when it
comes to crucial financial decisions. That debt
‘hangover’ from Christmas, coupled with the
impact of the increased cost of living, could
turn into a nightmare if people ignore it”.
Steve suggested the following ten top
tips for 2016:
1. Check that you are not missing out on
money that you should be getting in
benefits or tax credits, tax rebates or
allowances.
2. If you really need to consider taking out
a loan, make sure you shop around and
get the best deal. Look out for low
interest rates.
3. Be wary of consolidating your debts, get
advice and don’t put your home
unnecessarily at risk. Defaulting on a
loan secured against your home could
mean that you lose your home.
4. Plan to build up an emergency savings
fund by saving a regular amount each
month.
5. Shop around for the best savings rates
and check regularly that it is still the
best deal available.
6. Check out tax efficient ways to save
money like cash ISAs (Individual Savings
Account)
7. Be wary of low interest credit card
transfers. Check the terms and
conditions carefully.
8. You may be losing money by sticking
with your existing bank or energy
supplier; shop around, it‘s simple to
change.
9. Don't automatically renew your car,
holiday or house insurance without
comparing prices.
10. Start planning ahead for next Christmas
by setting a little aside each week and
save it in an interest bearing account,
such as a Credit Union or special
Christmas savings account
Steve continued, "All too often people come
to us when they've already reached crisis point
or can no longer cope with their problems. By
carrying out a regular financial overhaul and
taking some preventative measures many
problems could be averted before they
become crises. Traditionally people make New
Year’s resolutions to change bad habits - we're
urging people to do the same with their
finances."
For fact sheets on debt and money issues go
to www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau NEWSLETTER November 2015
The Devon Advice Service for Working Age Carers
(DASWAC) is a new project, funded by Devon
County Council, for people with caring
responsibilities who are of working age (between
18 and pension credit age).
The project offers a telephone advice service;
including better off calculations to help clients to
balance their working and caring commitments,
and benefit checks including help to claim, help
with form filling and challenging decisions.
The service is accessed through Devon Carers by
telephoning 08456 434435. A carer’s needs
assessment will be completed in order to be
referred to the service.
Case study
‘Martin’ was struggling to maintain his work with
his caring responsibilities. He had never claimed
any benefits and was caring for his mother who
had advanced dementia. Although she had
Attendance Allowance in place at the highest rate
‘Martin’ had no benefit income. He had a small
amount of savings that were dwindling which he
was using to ‘make ends meet’ each month. He
wanted to know if he could keep working but get
some help with the rent.
We talked about his options regarding reducing
his working hours and claiming Carer’s Allowance.
He said that he found it very useful to know that
this safety net was there but did not want to
reduce his working hours at this time as he was
very concerned about still being able to work once
he was no longer caring for his mother.
We also looked at Working Tax Credit and
Housing Benefit options and the impact Universal
Credit would have once this came into effect in
his area of Devon. He concluded that there was
just enough help available in terms of an
entitlement to small amounts of means tested
benefits to allow him to keep caring for his
mother and to keep doing the job he loved.
He was very relieved and grateful for the advice
and information, and said: “. . It will make such a
difference to my life to be able to get some help
with the rent so I can keep working while caring
for Mum.”
New service launched for working age carers
Healthwatch Devon Autumn newsletter
You can sign up for the Voices newsletter and
monthly e-bulletins from Healthwatch Devon at
www.healthwatchdevon.co.uk
Healthwatch is there to represent your views on
your health and care services.
The Autumn newsletter includes articles on end
of life care and 7 days service.
Healthwatch can be contacted on:
Telephone: 0800 520 0640
Email: [email protected]
Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau NEWSLETTER November 2015
Recent research from Citizens Advice highlighted
that as many as 1 in 3 people may know someone
who is suffering from domestic abuse, but that
many will not know how best to help.
On the back of this research Exeter Citizens
Advice is raising awareness of specialist helplines
people can call if they suspect someone they
know may be in an abusive relationship.
Friends and family can play a key role
encouraging victims to seek specialist help. In its
new report, A link in the chain available from
www.citizensadvice.org.uk Citizens Advice found
that most people in Britain do not feel equipped
to help someone who is suffering from domestic
abuse.
Findings from the report and a survey of over
2,000 British adults revealed:
Those with personal experience of domestic
abuse are over three times more likely to
say that their friends and family are aware
of the abuse (48%) than the police (14%).
Only 16% of British adults said no barriers
would discourage them from telling
somebody else about their concerns.
More than 1 in 3 people (36%) who have
personally experienced abuse didn’t tell
anyone else. Victims can be too afraid or
isolated to talk to others about their abuse.
Those suffering from domestic abuse may feel
unable to reach out for help themselves, so
people who want to support them need to know
the steps they can take and where they can get
specialist help.
We have joined the national Talk About Abuse
campaign so we can help everyone know how to
recognise abuse, talk about it safely and enable
victims to make the right decisions for
themselves. If you are experiencing domestic
violence or abuse, or you are concerned someone
you know might be in an abusive relationship,
you can seek help by calling the following
confidential freephone helplines.
If the victim is a woman
you can get help from the freephone, twenty-four
hour National Domestic Violence Helpline on
0808 2000 247
(run in partnership by Refuge and Women's Aid)
If the victim is a man
you can get help from the Men’s Advice Line on
0808 801 0327
In addition, if the victim is lesbian, gay,
bisexual or transgender
you can get specialised help from Broken Rainbow
on 0300 999 5428
Between 25th November and 10th December
Health Promotion Devon will be presenting a
collection of events that raise awareness of this
issue. You can go to:
https://16daysexeter.wordpress.com/ for more
details.
Exeter CAB Research and Campaigning Update
Citizens Advice report says friends and family can be a “lifeline to support” for victims of domestic abuse
Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau NEWSLETTER November 2015
Exeter CAB announces results of first economic well-being survey
We have released the results of our first economic
well-being survey. A summary of the results of
the survey, run in partnership with the Express
and Echo, Radio Exe, Exeter City Council and
Exeter Chamber of Commerce, can be found on
our website www.exetercab.org.uk
Ildiko Wood, who completed the survey,
said: " Being on fairly low wages (£15-17k per
annum), the higher Income Tax threshold in
recent years and lower inflation has helped a lot
and it's easier to get by; however it is only
'getting by', as long as nothing unexpected
happens. Unfortunately it is impossible to save
any money and plan for the future. You always
have to rely on loans or credit cards if you need
anything other than every day purchases; for
example home improvements, replacing a fridge,
servicing a car, vet bills. Not to mention luxury
items or holidays. "
Another survey respondent said: “As someone
who is self-employed, I have found it increasingly
difficult to find work after the age of 60 and as a
self-employed consultant. Companies and public
sector organisations are less and less able to buy
in expertise, and employment is even harder to
come by. My income has simply not kept pace
with the cost of living and it worries me and is
having an impact on my family relationships. I am
expected to work for another 3.5 years, but
cannot currently see how this is possible. I am
fortunate that my partner’s income offsets some
of the effect but I cannot see my son and
grandson very often as I cannot afford the travel.
I would prefer interest rates to stay low as
otherwise I will be faced with additional mortgage
costs on top of everything else.”
Another respondent said: "I work in the public
sector, at the lower end of the payscale, and my
wife works in care. We have seen our income
shrink in real terms for 6 of the last 7 years. As
such we have found it increasingly hard to get by
on what we earn. Constant belt-tightening will
only work for so long and it is becoming difficult
to see what we can do without next (and no, we
don't drink or smoke!) Our kids are approaching
the age where they will be hoping to go to
university; I'm terrified that we simply won't be
able to afford for
them to go.
Austerity hurts."
Exeter CAB Chief
Executive Steve
Barriball said: “The
overall picture is a
mixed one.
However, it is clear
that whilst things
are improving in
terms of income and
reduced expenditure
levels for some, for
others managing on
current income
levels remains a challenge. We intend running a
further survey in the New Year to gauge any
trends going forward.
Steve continued: “56% of respondents told
us they were worried about their financial
situation. Just over a third (34%) of
respondents had seen their incomes reduce
over the last six-months, with 32% seeing an
increase. Whilst over a third (38%) had seen
their expenditure increase, 23% reported a
reduction in expenditure. 41% of respondents
had no savings, whilst 40% had no debts. Of
those with debts the top three areas of
borrowing were loans and overdrafts (36%),
credit cards (33%), and loans from family or
friends (18%).”
Steve finished by saying: “In terms of job
satisfaction, 15% of respondents gave a score of
5 out of 5, with 9% scoring 1 out of 5. Overall,
some 84% of respondents were fairly happy or
better with their employment situation. 51% of
respondents had received a pay rise in the last
year, but more worryingly 30% had not received
a pay rise in the last two years.”
Please email contributions for the next newsletter to [email protected]
Advice Column
Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau NEWSLETTER November 2015
I’ve heard that pension reforms mean that I
can have full access to my pension pot when
I turn 55. How do I work out what I should
do with my pension savings?
The pension reforms that came in this April give
people the freedom to access their defined
contribution pension how and when they want.
You can buy an annuity, or take your pension out
in one go, or withdraw it bit by bit and leave some
of it invested. Planning for your retirement can be
complicated so it’s important to get guidance on
your options.
The good news is that the Government has
introduced Pension Wise, a free service offering
guidance online, over the phone with The
Pensions Advisory Service, or face to face with
Citizens Advice. The appointments are pre-booked
45 minute sessions tailored to your individual
circumstances. Guidance is impartial, meaning
that it will not recommend products or services,
but they will describe your options and help you
consider the impact.
To get the most out of Pension Wise guidance,
preparation is key. First, work out the value of
your pension pots. Look at your most recent
statement, or contact your provider. Check if
there are any restrictions attached. Next, get a
state pension forecast, and gather the details of
any benefits you receive.
The next step is to work out your likely
expenditure. Include the cost of essentials like
housing or utilities, and leisure activities. This
should give you a rough budget.
Ensure that you have this information available
for your Pension Wise appointment. Your guider
will help you think through your circumstances,
and discuss the options available to you.
For more information and advice go to
www.citizensadvice.org.uk or telephone the
Pension Wise team on 01752 502 695.
The information contained in these articles does
not constitute advice. Exeter Citizens Advice
Bureau accepts no liability for the information
published. Copyright Citizens Advice. For the most
up-to-date information, please visit
www.citizensadvice.org.uk