| The use of the Lisson Grove Benefits Program (see resources page) enables the advisor to calculate entitlement to benefits with great accuracy and provides the facility for a printed report to be supplied to the client. Although slower than the "Quick Benefits Calculator" this program is user friendly and its step by step approach to benefit calculation and entitlement gives it a much broader use by relatively new advisors and those with considerable experience of the benefits system. This use of technology helps us to meet the needs of our target groups, those who struggle to engage with advice services that are provided from a town centre office base. Long waiting times and a waiting room full of people can be a great obstacle to anyone suffering with mental health problems and especially the elderly who often comment on their inability to cope in this setting. |
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People Are Important
The projects aims to provide individuals and families with access to information that will improve their well-being and strengthen the social fabric of our community. This can only be achieved by working directly with people to encourage their financial independence through specialist advice and advocacy.
The project works with people in their own homes believing that this is an environment in which the client is comfortable and most able to give a clear picture of their circumstances. The benefits of taking this service to our clients are many and especially felt by those who find themselves isolated in their homes because of physical and/or mental disability, the aged and single parents who have the responsibility of small children. The project attempts to resolve issues surrounding welfare rights and debt whilst visiting clients bringing together the two disciplines of "Income Maximisation" and "Debt Counselling". There are obvious benefits of a home based advice service, the required information is generally at hand within the home and clients need not be sent away "to get that extra bit of information". Sitting and waiting for an interview with the apprehension of being seen by others is no longer a worry and for those with mental health problems the reassurance of being "on your own turf" gives that extra point of confidence.
Our approach to those suffering with mental health problems recognises the diverse needs of this client group. Assuring our client that they remain in control and are able to cancel appointments or reject our visit at any stage. Failed visits/appointments are accepted as part of the process in dealing with this client group but the offer of this level of service generally results in an increase in the clients confidence levels. The practical outworking of this approach is that visits are generally never cancelled or stopped half way and advisors are seen as friends with the sole aim of providing help and reassurance with financial matters.
In the provision of our service we utalise the latest technology to provide a fast, effiecient and effective service that supports our client directly at their point of need. PGDebt 8 (see resources page) is a windows based debt management programme that enables us to support a large number of cases with mutiple debt. The programme provides standard letters and a financial statement that calculates expenditure and payment offers to creditors despite the frequent changes that may occur in these cases. The use of portable printers enables us to print out letters of authority at the first interview stage and the system itself will store creditor address and account numbers enabling us to leave the client with their original paperwork and creditor correspondance. We aim to send our first contact letters to creditors within 48 hours and are often able to send an offer letter to creditors immediatley.
