How CSE’s benefits advice is making a difference to people’s lives
Warm Streets
How CSE’s benefits advice is making a difference to people’s lives
“We are now managing a lot better than we used to. We do not have to worry about putting on the heating, especially as I have a very bad chest and the cold makes it worse. We get out and about a bit more we are also eating better as we can now afford better quality food.”
Mr R, Warm Streets client (see below)
Mr R is one of many people who have been helped by the benefits advice delivered as part of CSE’s Warm Streets project.
Ensuring that people like Mr R receive the benefits they are entitled to is one of the best ways of helping them out of fuel poverty (defined as needing to spend more than 10% of household income on fuel to maintain a reasonable standard of warmth).
Since 2003 the number of people in fuel poverty has increased year on year, and now stands at around 5 million.
Being in fuel poverty can affect a person’s health, both physical and mental. At worst it means choosing between eating, keeping warm, clothes for children and other essentials, and often leads to social isolation and depression. For moving testimonies of people's coping strategies (and resilience) see the CSE report 'You Just Have to Get By' published in 2010.
Pauline Sandell is CSE’s fuel poverty advisor, and expert in welfare benefits. She uses this expertise to help Warm Streets clients maximise their income.
“The three critical benefits are Pension Credit, Attendance Allowance (for those over 65) and Disability Living Allowance (for those under 65). Lots of people are eligible for these benefits but don’t claim them, usually because they are unaware of their entitlement – or mistakenly believe they don’t qualify*.
“Over £400 million is left unclaimed every year.
“Not only do these benefits provide extra cash for day-to-day living, they are qualifying benefits for insulation grants as well, and can make the recipient eligible for council tax benefit or housing benefit.”
Over the past two years, Pauline’s benefits advice has led to an additional total annual income of £272,039 for 65 households, undoubtedly lifting many of them out of fuel poverty. As the following examples show, these are among the neediest households in Somerset:
Client 326 | Single elderly lady
Before she contacted Warm Streets for a benefit check, Mrs M, who suffers from severe rheumatoid arthritis, was getting just the basic state pension so had a weekly income of £97.65, out of which she was paying her council tax. Following a benefit check from CSE she now receives pension credit (£37.30 per week) and attendance allowance (£47.80 a week) bringing her weekly income up to £182.75, and is entitled to council tax benefit which saves her £24 per week.
Client 133 | Elderly couple
Before they contacted Warm Streets Mr and Mrs R were getting by (just) on a state retirement pension, along with some savings and a small occupational pension which took them over the threshold for pension credit. But both of them are very poorly. Mr R has severe arthritis and difficulty dressing, walking and washing. Mrs A has very poor eyesight and struggles to get about. We made a referral on their behalf to the Department of Work and Pensions after which they were both awarded attendance allowance at the higher rate, giving them an extra income of £140.70 a week.
You can contact Pauline in confidence at pauline.sandell@cse.org.uk
If you live in Somerset and want to find out if you are entitled to a benefit, call us on 0800 512 012. Alternatively, www.turn2us.org.uk can point to benefits you may be entitled to, and we can help with a referral to the Pension Service or Department of Work and Pensions if appropriate. This can take five minutes and could make a significant difference to you.
* Attendance allowance and disability living allowance are tax free and are not means tested, so any other income a person has is not taken into consideration when assessing a person’s need for these benefits. They are awarded based on the needs of the client.