CAB Annual Report 2022-2023

Opening Hours: Mondays to Fridays 09.00 -17.00 Appointments /Drop-in: Mondays to Fridays 09.30 - 16.30 Telephone Reception and Switchboard 0141 552 5556 Email office@glasgowcentralcab.casonline.org.uk Reception and Switchboard 0141 552 5556 Website www.glasgowcentralcab.org.uk The Glasgow (Central) Citizens’ Advice Bureau is a company Limited by Guarantee Company Number 146212. Registered as a charity by OSCR Number SC001130, Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority FRN 617459 Registered Office Level 3, The Mitchell Library, 201 North Street, Glasgow G3 7DN Design and production Big Think Agency. We wish to thank: The Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Life, Citizens’ Advice Scotland, The Robertson Trust, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Glasgow Helping Heroes, and others for financial and other forms of support. Special thanks to the volunteers, Board of Directors and staff for their loyalty and commitment. Case Study 1 Partnership working An Iranian woman, aged 44, had sought support at a Glasgow City Council Casework Team for herself and young daughter. She had entered the UK on a spouse visa with her daughter and had separated from her partner because of domestic abuse. After being placed in emergency accommodation by the GCC Caseworker she was referred to the CAB Adviser (Outreach) for further assistance. An interpreter was enlisted as English was not the first language. The CAB adviser aided the client in changing their joint Universal Credit claim to a single one. Previously the Universal Credit had been paid into her now estranged partner’s bank account to which she was denied access. The single claim gave the client control of her finances and escape the economic abuse she had also experienced. She had depression and a condition affecting her hand muscles hindering her ability to work but was advised by the CAB that she could partake in the Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment and, in turn, was assisted by her Jobcentre Coach in completing a form UC50 which resulted in an increase of £390 per month. The CAB adviser also assisted with an application for an Adult Disability Payment to supporter additional needs. The entitlement to Universal Credit enabled an offer of permanent housing by the GCC Casework Team and the CAB adviser amended the Universal Credit claim to reflect the new circumstances. This ensured the housing element would be paid thus maintaining independent living free from the abuses she had previously endured . She was also assisted with a claim for Council Tax Reduction for the new property. As there was now a spare bedroom for her daughter visiting the client received a deduction for a spare room from Universal Credit. The CAB adviser applied for a Discretionary Housing Payment to cover the short fall in rent. There was discussion about altering her visa due to separation from her partner and that there had been domestic abuse resulting in a referral to an immigration solicitor. The CAB adviser made the client aware that if she was to take primary care of her young daughter she could apply for other benefits namely Child Benefit, Scottish Child Payment and the Child Element of Universal Credit. She was encouraged to return for assistance and if required. Case Study 2 Multiple issues A client, retired and no longer working, presented with multiple issues in no particular order. He had fairly small credit card debts amounting to around £3,000. There was a problem with two pensions which he was unable to access having experienced communication difficulties. Previously he had taken advice from Pensionwise and had decided to implement one of their options offered. His son had died a few weeks earlier and he had applied to Social Security Scotland for help with funeral costs with no result. To compound matters his mobile ‘phone had stopped working. The adviser contacted one of his pension providers and the issue was resolved almost immediately with a lump some payment paid into his bank account. His other pension provider could not be reached so the adviser sent an email requesting the appropriate documents for signature. They agreed to send the documents but insisted upon sight of a current passport which the client did not have. After receiving the documents the client signed them but could not return hem by email as they were encrypted so could not be opened. They were posted instead. There was still the passport issue. The adviser arranged an appointment for the client and the pension provider when they would issue a form consenting to electronic verification instead of the need for a passport. When this was done a payment was issued. These payments cleared his debts and afforded a new mobile ‘phone. For the funeral payment the adviser ‘phoned Social Security Scotland and an officer requested a letter from the Glasgow City Council confirming he was in receipt of Housing Benefit when he first applied for funeral costs. The adviser requested this and, after passing this to Social Security Scotland, a payment was received. Case Study 3 Making a difference The client presented for assistance having been suspended from work in a care home following a verbal altercation with a colleague. He was unsure about internal investigatory or disciplinary processes. The adviser helped establish the events. The client had asked the colleague to do some work but the colleague challenged his authority to give instructions which led to the argument. It transpired he was still on full pay pending the investigation which would take some weeks. Meantime the adviser tried to jog the client’s memory and timeline of events in order to gain practice articulating his perspective ahead of any hearing. The client was also advised of Employment Tribunal time limits and procedures should that course of action be necessary as a last resort. The adviser contacted the employer who clarified there were no disciplinary procedures in progress as their HR section was still at the investigation stage. Meantime the client suggested a new system for his workplace where grievances between employees could be resolved more easily. The adviser assisted the client in formulating this in more detail so he could present this at his investigatory meeting and propose this to management and HR. The client attended the meeting a week later and, after discussion, was reinstated immediately with no further action to be taken. Additionally, the workplace adopted his idea for conflict resolution and implemented this a month later.