Page 5 - 2019-20 Annual Summary Report
P. 5

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.

                            0 4   |   A N N U A L   S U M M A R Y   R E P O R T   2 0 1 9 - 2 0 2 0
   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10