Citizens Advice Bureaus and the Credit Unions are benefiting from additional financial support as a result of the successful Economic Summit which occurred in Suffolk before Christmas.

The additional finance, provided by Suffolk County Council, will enable the Citizen Advice Bureaux to respond to a sharp increase in the demand for advice. As an example in the financial period April – September 2008 bureaux saw an unprecedented increase of 30% in client contacts with bureaux for debt and welfare benefits compared to the same period last year. Suffolk bureaux are seeing clients from increasing diverse backgrounds as the economic situation traverses all elements of the community. Many clients report rapid and fundamental changes to their personal situations almost overnight with no warning as the commercial and banking sector reacts to nationwide financial changes. The finance will aid the Credit Unions in delivering advice to people who want to put money aside for bills, to make safe savings in the form of credit union accounts, take out loans coupled with money advice and other support, and to take control of their own finances.

Sally Chicken, Director of Ipswich and Suffolk Credit Union, said “In one case recently, a foster carer needed to rent a larger house so that there was room to foster another child. A rent deposit loan enabled the family to move into a larger house in preparation for the foster placement. We have also seen an increase in people needing help to replace their cars when they become too old to repair, in two recent cases, this helped the applicants keep their jobs as mobility for work was essential.”

Martin Davis, Manager of the Mid Suffolk Citizens Advice Bureau said “The release of additional funding from Suffolk County Council has been very timely given the hardship being faced by an increasing number of individuals across Suffolk due to the economic down turn across the country .The money provided to Suffolk Citizen Advice Bureaux has permitted an almost immediate expansion of existing casework and services particularly in the areas of debt, welfare benefits, employment and housing.”

The Mid Suffolk bureau recently helped a married couple with an interest only mortgage who found themselves without an income as the husband was disabled and unable to work and the wife’s hours were cut due to the downturn in the retail industry. The couple were offered a benefit check and the benefits identified were applied for on behalf of the client by the bureau. General income maximisation advice was also offered to the couple. The benefits were awarded and backdating was also secured for the clients resulting in a lump sum payment. The couple were also awarded Pension Credit which given their personal situation the interest only mortgage payments are now being paid through this benefit. The wife is seeking full time employment but the family is no longer facing repossession and eviction in the short term. This will give them time to work further with our caseworker to affect a long term solution.

The bureau is also seeing increasing numbers of clients with employment problems, for example recently a client was dismissed due to a down turn in business, when in fact he was entitled to a substantial redundancy payment which if he had not approached the bureau he may not have been aware of. The bureau supported the client through the redundancy process and the client was able to sustain his repayments whilst looking for alternative work.

Jeremy Pembroke, Leader of Suffolk County Council said “The Suffolk Economic Summit identified a wide range of actions that are occurring in Suffolk to assist people who may be affected by the current economic situation. Organisations such as local authorities, the Chamber of Commerce and Business Link East are ensuring that they are focused on people most affected by the economic situation."