Agenda item

Verbal presentation by Sue Foster of Bestwood Advice Centre

Sue Foster, Manager and Senior Advisor at Bestwood Advice Centre delivered a presentation which is circulated with the initial publication of the minutes, and highlighted the following points:

a)  Bestwood Advice Centre is based on Gainsford Crescents and has been operating since the 1980s, providing advice and support for citizens on issues such as debt and financial management, insolvency options, tribunals, utility debts, and welfare applications;

b)  the main source of funding for the Advice Centre is currently form the City Council, but with other short-term contributors including British Gas, Coalfields, lottery, a pilot scheme of support with Life After Debt, and Bestwood Partnership;

c)  the advice centres across the city work together as a consortium of Advice Nottingham to achieve funding, watch for trends and work to advise and support citizens, include working in partnership with multiple local organisations;

d)  although usually a face-to-face service, due to the COVID-19 restrictions adaptations had to be made to remote and online working. This was achieved quite rapidly, including providing further information via social media. Following lockdown only very limited access in person was offered for extreme circumstances; 

e)  last year the service worked with a Nottingham University in providing a 4 week internship to a student. To make the most of this opportunity, Sophie worked with the service for 4 weeks researching the need for advice centres and the value they bring, not only to the individual but to the community as a whole. This project resulted in some excellent research and culminated in a presentation to local partners and agencies, which will also be used to support funding applications. A copy of the report is available electronically on request. Sophie has remained working with the Advice Centre and is now on the Board as Treasurer;

f)  COVID-19 has resulted in a rise in demand from the centre with many people have not claimed benefits or  accessed the service previously, now requesting support, often with multiple issues. The majority of support is provided over the phone and via WhatsApp photos or by post if people aren’t connected;

g)  utility companies have proved very difficult to deal with, especially as they generally hadn’t adapted their working practices due to the COVID-19 restrictions, and some almost verged on obstructive;

h)  it has been highlighted that more financial education is needed to prevent or address poor budgeting and poor financial choices. Talking to some citizens about changing their financial behaviour and choices has been difficult, particularly over the telephone (rather than in person) as some people find it easier to express their anger and frustration at a distance;

i)  during the past 9 months approximately 500 clients have been supported, which is similar to the number of people supported in the previous 12 months. Some client cases require a huge dedication of advisor time, sometimes in the region of 100 hours, particularly where there is digital exclusion;

j)  often when clients approach the Service they are already in debt, do not have capacity to save, and cannot afford to take on further debt even via a credit union loan, so it is rare that clients are referred to credit unions, although they may be included in the financial education work where citizens have the capacity to save;

k)  Issues that need highlighting include:

i.  the extra £20 per week for people on WTC and UC benefits during the pandemic is only temporary, but as it occurred at the same time as the increase in benefits, many recipients haven’t realised that this will stop/reduce in April 2021;

ii.  Council Tax benefit was temporarily increased but will revert in April 2021, again, many recipients haven’t realised this;

iii.  debt reclamation charges from benefit payments were temporarily stopped but are now reintroduced at a much higher rate;

iv.  digital exclusion, however a campaign has been launched to target the digitally excluded and hard to reach residents in Nottingham with the ability for the Service to contact them by phone or post;

l)  the pandemic has resulted in a lot of additional work and community and individual need, which is predicted to rise significantly, so funding has been secured for 2 part time advisors to support the work but further funding will be needed to enable the need to be met. All routes for further funding are being pursued although most current funding availability is either only COVID-19 related so time limited, or short-term and it’s difficult to recruit to short-term posts. Engaging a part-time, results based payment fund raiser is being considered;

m)  People can contact the Bestwood Advice Centre as Follows :

Telephone  0115 962 6519

Text/Whatsapp  +44 (0)7875 746 843

Email  admin@bestwoodadvice.org.uk

Facebook/Messenger  www.facebook.com/bestwoodadvice.org.uk/

  Web enquiry  www.bestwoodadvice.org.uk

Members of the Committee expressed their appreciation of the Bestwood Advice Centre’s work, congratulated the Team on their achievements and were concerned at the inevitable rise in demand and reducing funding.

Donna Denning of Bestwood Partnership, added that the Advice Centre also provided support for citizens with white goods, which is key for some citizens to store and cook food. The Bestwood Partnership is currently looking at financial education schemes to help support budgeting and money management.

Rosie Atkin of Connected Nottingham offered to help support the digitally excluded work of the Service.

Resolved to:

1)  note the valuable support and advice provided to citizens by the Bestwood Advice Centre;

2)  record the thanks of the Committee to Sue Forster for her attendance and presentation.