Maundy Relief The New Safety Net

Accrington based covers all East Lancashire Significant area of deprivation Mental health, drug and alcohol problems, poor or no accommodation contacts per year Referred word of mouth, statutory and third sector DROP IN SERVICE hot meals brews legal and other advice from legally trained people and CAB benefits support and from filling advice phone and postal address clothing furniture food parcels (3000 pa and on the increase) a listening ear and kindness

COUNSELLING SERVICE currently NHS funded mostly volunteers PRIVATE LANDLORD SCHEME bond for tenants and ongoing support WINTER OVERNIGHT ACCOMODATION Essential service PRE-PRIMARY CARE NURSE Assessment, advice, liaison, case management, mental/physical health OUTREACH SERVICE Social care, advocacy, case management

We are a key provider of health and social care

Hardship and poverty is worse (December to March) Food parcels (80% to sanctioned people) 461 single people 32 family (Increase of 35% in 2 years) 57 fuel vouchers 32 electric heaters

Most service users are single adults Maundy Relief weekly budget for those ‘trying to help themselves’ looks like this: Food £20/£25 Gas and electricity £20 Laundry £5 Bus fairs £5 Phone £5 Council tax £4 TV £4 ESA/JSA leaves £4.40p for clothes, leisure or pet food Balance Maundy Relief or (not often) petty crime, sex work or drugs dealing

Accommodation Under 35s get £53.50 pw No accommodation in Hyndburn other than poor quality House of Multiple Occupancy (HMO)

Sanctions Commonly go to cash point machine and nothing in account Any change from one strand of benefits to another results in a gap (eg ESA to JSA) of a month Direct referral from local JSP to Maundy Relief for support

Case study 1

55 year old manual labourer gets laid off Illiterate JSA Walks around industrial sites knocking on doors for job Has had two job interviews Didn’t understand IT, job search process despite basic skills course x2 Sanctioned Volunteers for Maundy Serious bouts of depression which then required ESA and another month without money

Case study 2

32 female been victim of DV secure refuge for three months now living independently with support advised by Jobcentre to apply for ESA (claim supported by her GP) ESA claim refused advised by Jobcentre to apply for JSA at this stage had received no payments for 4 weeks JSA claim successful At second signing on (before first benefits paid) was told work diary didn't show activity for Sundays sanctioned for 4 weeks but received no payments for 6 weeks

continued to apply for jobs and two interviews However anxiety increased substantially very conscious that her appearance had deteriorated food parcels and laundry costs from Maundy Relief staff accompanied her to JCP and spoke on her behalf had been in Northern Ireland and told she couldn’t be paid because “NI not part of UK”! she is due to receive a payment this week but it will take some time before her mental health recovers

Case study 3