Page 5 - 2019-20 Annual Summary Report
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We provide advice on a wide range of
topics including homelessness, tribunals
Advice and Advocacy and homeless reviews, housing related
benefits, and landlord/tenant disputes.
The Prison Housing Advice Service covers
both East and South Ayrshire areas in HMP
Kilmarnock, Barlinnie and Greenock.
556 396
New Advice New Prison
Cases Advice Cases
Opened opened
Prevented 91% Affordability
Homelessness Service User Improved in
in 320 Positive 159
cases Outcomes Cases
Advice Case Study Prison Advice Case Study
A very anxious Miss A came to us for Mr B came into custody in September
advice after her Housing Benefit claim 2019 and was sentenced to 12 months.
was in danger of being terminated Mr B had a South Ayrshire Council
putting her Council tenancy at risk. tenancy and was in receipt of Universal
She had no income of her own after a Credit.
negative experience with the DWP We updated his Universal Credit claim
following her mother's death and her to ensure the Housing Element
continued to be paid as Mr B would be
carers allowance ending and was liberated within the 6 months
terrified of claiming UC. entitlement period.
We offered her info sessions on UC Two months into Mr B’s sentence his
through Home+, easing her worries to Housing Officer contacted to advise his
make a claim and liaised with SAC UC housing costs had stopped
regarding her Housing Benefit. After four months housing costs had
We helped with her UC claim, got her still not been paid. Once again we
HB reinstated, applied for DHP, Warm contacted DWP to rectify this and were
Home Discount and helped her set up assured the case manager was notified.
Council Tax repayments. Eventually 5 months after entering
This led to a total monies recovered of custody Mr B was paid £1,620.15
£4419.38, prevented her homelessness toward his housing costs as entitled
and improved her mental health and which cleared his arrears on his rent
wellbeing. account.
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