Welfare
Rights and
Debt Advice
Service
Mission Statement
Our core purpose is to reduce poverty and inequality,
and enhance the quality of life of the people of Salford,
through providing a professional
• Welfare Rights Service - which promotes rights to
benefits and maximises benefit take-up; and
• Debt Advice Service – which provides practical
assistance to people in managing debt and
promotes debt awareness;
and influencing policies which have a direct impact on
the lives of those living on low incomes within the City.
We achieve this by:
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providing free, impartial and confidential advice on welfare
benefits and debt to Salford residents regardless of means;
informing, advising, assisting and representing individuals
to secure their benefit entitlements and resolve their debt
problems;
publicising and promoting benefit take-up and debt awareness
amongst key target groups;
providing consultancy, training and support to a wide range of
staff and organisations;
working in partnership with other agencies in particular other
advice providers, other local authority directorates and primary
health care providers;
influencing social policy;
consulting residents in the development of the Service;
giving a specific focus to those who are most socially excluded;
contributing to the Anti-poverty & Social Inclusion Strategy.
What Is Welfare Rights Advice?
Assists people to maximise their income from social security and local
authority benefits
Involves
• identifying missing benefit entitlements
• protecting existing entitlements
• calculating 'better off ' scenarios e.g.
- in/out of work
- choosing between different benefits/claimants
• completing claim forms within time-limits
• appealing and challenging decisions
• researching relevant law, case-law etc.
• outlining legal requirements re: overpayments, changes in
circumstances etc.
• representation where appropriate e.g. at tribunals and Social Security
Commissioners
• targeted 'take-up' work and maximising the benefit income of
vulnerable, under-claiming groups
What Is Welfare Rights Advice?
Outcomes
• protection of existing income
• maximisation of income with enhancement to
quality of life
• simplifying the complex inter-relationship of
benefits
• enabling claimants to more effectively interact
with the complexity of the benefit system
What Is Debt Advice?
Assists people to regain control of their financial situation
Involves
• income maximisation
• checking liability
• drawing up a financial statement
- acts as a budgeting tool
- allows clients to prioritise debts
- show how much money is available for creditors
• explaining creditor's powers power of recovery
• ensuring creditors comply with relevant
legislation
- Consumer Credit Act
- Administration of Justice Act
• negotiating with creditors
• completion of relevant court forms
• representation at court where appropriate
What Is Debt Advice?
Outcomes
• helps people make sense of financial chaos
• lifts the weight of indebtedness
• protection to debtors
• affordable repayment
• effective solutions to debt problems through
 independence
 confidentiality
 specialist knowledge
Key Elements Of The Service
Welfare Rights
• Telephone Advice Line
• Casework
advice  claiming  review  appeal 
Commissioner  judicial system
• Primary Health Care - appointment sessions
• Take-up and benefit promotion - leaflets,
targeted campaigns, talks etc.
• Training
• Partnership working
Key Elements Of The Service
Debt Advice
• Telephone Advice Line
• Casework
advice  negotiation  payment plan/other strategy
 court  judicial system
• County Court Duty Rota
• Debt resolution/awareness - training, leaflets,
talks etc. including schools and credit unions
• Training
• Partnership working
Outputs - Key Measures
Welfare Rights
• Number of telephone advice sessions
• Number of calls/people dealt with
• Number of ‘new’ clients assisted
• Number of benefit issues dealt with
• Additional benefit secured or protected for client
• Additional income through charging policy and SSA
• Feedback from clients through regular questionnaires
• Number of training units delivered
• Number of talks given
• Number of events attended to promote the service
Outputs - Key Measures
Debt Advice
• Number of telephone advice sessions
• Number of calls/people dealt with
• Number of ‘new’ clients assisted
• Number of debts and benefit issues dealt with
• Number of homes protected
• Amount of debt written off for client
• Feedback from clients through regular questionnaires
• Number of training units delivered
• Number of talks given
• Number of events attended to promote the service
Achievements - 2000/2001
Welfare Rights
• Telephone advice - 180 sessions conducted (91%)
- 1,112 calls/people dealt with
• ‘New’ clients - 1,332
• Benefit issues dealt with - 5,731
• Extra benefit (client) - £3,013,627
• Extra income (charging policy and SSA) - £460,694
• Training units delivered - 254
• Talks given - 13
• Promotional events attended - 19
Achievements - 2000/2001
Debt Advice
• Telephone advice - 113 sessions conducted (75%)
- 485 calls/people dealt with
• ‘New’ clients - 175
• Debt issues dealt with - 1,227
• Debt written off/extra income - £153,826
• Homes protected - 32
• Training units delivered - 122
Cost of the Service
Social Services - general
£317,000
(54% )
£594,250
Primary Care Trust
£120,000
(20% )
SRB II
£18,000
(3% )
SRB V
£50,000
(8% )
Social Services charging
£57,250
(10% )
Social Services SASP
£31,500
(5% )
Current/Future Issues
• Community Legal Service (CLS) - Quality
Mark
• Structure that
– reflects the priorities of the Service
– more efficient and effective Service
– meets the requirements for the CLS QM
Areas of Work
Benefit Promotion &
Take-up
Over 60s
(HB/CTB)
Home/Day Care
Service Users
Welfare Rights Service
Debt Advice Service
Casework
Team
Casework
Team
Primary Health
Learning Disability
Urdu Punjabi Community
(Linkworker)
Mental Health
New Service Structure
Principal Officer
Senior WRO
(Take-up)
CLS Supervisor
Senior WRO
(Service Manager)
CLS Supervisor
Health WROs
(3 posts)
WR Linkworker
- Urdu/Punjabi
(1 Post)
WR Take-up Officers
- Older People
(3 Posts)
Generic WROs
(4 posts)
WR Take-up Officers
- Service Users
(2 Posts)
Specialist WROs
(2 posts)
Debt Advisers
(3 posts)
CLS Supervisor
Standard