The Bureau is able to help many in the community and
has earned considerable respect from the many agencies it has dealings with.
Maintaining this goodwill, while at the same time strongly representing our
clients' interests, is necessary to achieve a satisfactory outcome.
Below are a few typical success stories. Some details and clients' names have
been changed to ensure the confidentiality which is so important to our work.
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1. HOUSING A case example: Mr and Mrs K arrived in Worthing just before Christmas, with their 4 children, to stay in bed and breakfast accommodation. They had been sent here by another authority, who had short supply of their own temporary accommodation, whilst investigations were pending on their homeless application. Temporary accommodation in Worthing consists of a family sharing one, maybe two rooms. They have no kitchen facilities and shared bathrooms. Mrs K had recently had her fourth child, and was suffering from post-natal depression. The eldest child was suffering from asthma, which was exacerbated by the poor living conditions. Mr K was desperate to return to their hometown, where they had a good support network of friends and family and the children could return to their old primary school. The clients were particularly anxious because they knew that if they turned down this temporary accommodation, the local authority could discharge its duty to them, and that would mean no permanent accommodation.We advised them to register at a local surgery and to get extra supporting evidence from the G.P with regards to the way in which their housing conditions were affecting their health. We also liaised with the Health Visitor for the Homeless who arranged to visit the family and in particular assess the needs of the children. We then collected as much evidence from all the professionals involved and wrote on behalf of the clients, requesting that the local authority review the temporary accommodation of the K Family, as it was unsuitable. With the combined evidence of the health professionals, the local authority reconsidered their original decision and the family returned to their home borough in the New Year, to a three-bedroom house. |
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2. BENEFITS
An example…… Mrs W, a 78 yr old widow made a claim for Attendance Allowance in June of 2001. She was living on State retirement pension with an income support top up making her total income £92.15 per week. The client was refused the Attendance Allowance in September 2001. Our request for a review was also unsuccessful, even though the Benefits Agency sent one of their own doctors to examine her. With our assistance the client appealed against the decision and in March 2002 attended a Tribunal. The outcome was that the client was awarded the higher rate of Attendance Allowance of £55.30 per week backdated 44 weeks, and as she lives alone the client also received an extra £41.55per week income support. The overall result was a benefit gain of £9,297.00 for the current year and an ongoing weekly gain of £96.85 per week, doubling her income. She also received a cheque for the backdated amount of £4,260.00. |
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3. MONEY ADVICE
An example…… A lady client had been divorced many years ago and she had to leave the jointly owned matrimonial home. Her former husband continued to live there but the mortgage fell into arrears and the property was eventually re-possessed. It was then sold for much less than the mortgage. Recently a solicitor acting on behalf of the lender contacted the client to request repayment of the shortfall of £53,000. The Bureau was able to negotiate on behalf of the client and the lender settled for a payment of £3,000 in full and final settlement of the debt. |