Welfare
Report
The
service is reaching an increased number of users year on year
and in the 8 month period, served 1140 people from the Irish
and other communities. The
expertise of our second advice worker; Mary Fitzmaurice, and
the opportunity to provide outreach surgeries, has been a
major factor in this. We
have seen a greater number of enquiries about, and uptake of
Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, Pension Credits,
Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Attendance Allowance (AA),
Irish Pensions, Widows Pensions (Irish), Carers Allowance and
charitable funds. Existing
monitoring systems have been developed to measure the
activities and outcomes of the advice service more
effectively.
Although the welfare service is largely self promoting, we
continue to actively identify and engage with “hard to reach
groups”. We
reach people in isolation with health and housing needs as a
result of the range of expertise provided, and our flexible
approach. These
groups include Irish
Travellers, clients with mental health issues, physical
disabilities, alcohol dependency and domestic violence victims
to access the service. Working
with the local churches to promote the service is still
proving to be very successful, as is word of mouth.
Many of our clients have either seen or heard of us at
their local church or are referred to the service by someone
who has found out about us this way.
We
have a referral relationship with Luton Social Services, the
Disability Resource Centre, CAB Dunstable, NOAH Enterprise,
Age Concern, Luton and Dunstable Adult Services and Ace
Enterprise. We
are working with Luton Borough Council housing service, Cara
Housing Association, South Bedfordshire Housing Service, Luton
Community Housing and Ballymore Properties to raise awareness
of housing needs. We
have developed and maintained partnerships with the community
locations where surgeries are held.
We have been working with Luton Women’s Aid and
Shanthoma Women’s Group [established to support Bangladeshi
and Pakistani women] which has enabled us to reach clients
from the Asian community.
These two organisations help promote the service, refer
clients and also provide a translating service where
necessary. This
surgery has proved to be so successful, that extra surgeries
have been requested. Partnership
work extends to Irish Agencies including Milton Keynes Irish
Centre [Bucks], St Albans [Herts], Nottingham Irish Centre [Notts],
Northampton [Northants] and Letchworth Irish Centre [Herts].
The Forum aims to develop welfare advice support to
these agencies.
On a policy level, we have made representation to
the Department for Work and pensions, where a number of issues
were raised. Issues
included the outcomes of DLA and AA applications.
The DWP assured us that our points were to be
considered and feedback would follow.
I am delighted to include a snapshot of the many good
news stories that help illustrate the success of the welfare
services in 2006/ 07:
 | 100%
success rate with Community Care Grant applications;
|
| 100%
success rate at appeals, including Disability Living
Allowance due to more proactive relations with the Wembley
Disability Benefits Service;
|
| A
client was awarded an Irish Pension of £104 per week,
with 7 years back pay of £2000 and living allowance;
|
| The
British Gas Fund cleared arrears of £730 on behalf of a
client;
|
| All
employment appeal issues were successfully negotiated,
with the clients agreement;
|
| A
vulnerable and isolated blind man accessed the centre, as
a result of positive partnership working with Luton Social
Services;
|
| 3
vulnerable people were rehoused through the advice
surgeries, as a
result of partnership work with Shelter;
|
| 3
clients went on an all expenses paid holiday to Kerry.
The annual trip, which is organised by the Kerry
Immigrants Association, was a great success and enjoyed by
all.
|
| We
received an award from Aspire Magazine which covers 8
counties in the Midlands, in recognition of our
contribution to the community.
|
