Q Hotel Midland Manchester 20 th and 21 st May 2013

“Working with social landlords” Steve Wilcox Sheffield CAB Debt Support Unit

Drivers for action:  High cost of evictions and arrears recovery action.  Increasing profile of financial inclusion agenda.  Tenants not being able to access debt and benefits advice. And now......welfare reform.

 Social landlords decide what number of referrals they wish to sign up £267 per referral (increasing to £320pr).  Project monitoring meetings held quarterly – receive data reports and discuss issues of common concern.  Non-participating social landlords kept updated via Social Landlord Financial Inclusion Forum.

 Tenant signs referral form which is faxed or ed.  Initial adviser contact within three working days – full appt within three weeks.  Appts at home visit, outreach or DSU.  Debt and benefits advice and casework support provided.

 Models of funding and delivery.  Confidentiality and reporting.  Tensions between housing officers and advisers.  Debt Relief Orders.

Telephone Telephone vface-to-face Debt and/or benefits advice Referral fee Tiered referral fees Financial Capability

What types of data can be reported? Individual v grouped data Case studies

Who’s doing the DHP application? Welfare reform and impossible budgets

Reluctance to refer/or fund the service? Finding the fee Business case damaged?

Are there any other areas that it might be helpful to discuss?