Scarborough & Dist C.A.B. at 62 Roscoe St., Scarborough YO12 7BY - and - Church House, Flowergate, Whitby YO21 3BA
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A SERVICE FOR HER MAJESTY’S FORCES (HMF), SERVING AND EX-SERVING PERSONNEL AND
THEIR FAMILIES LIVING IN THE COUNTY
Royal British Legion, Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund and Citizens Advice Benefits and
Money Advice Service, was officially launched on 23rd January 2009 by Robert Goodwill MP to
help provide better advice to those of HMF serving and ex-serving community, and their
dependants.
It is one of 38 schemes - part of a 3-yr collaboration by Citizens Advice Bureaux across England
and Wales funded by The Royal British Legion and the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. The new
service was launched in response to a recent British Legion survey that highlighted the need for
a holistic benefits & money service to complement its Poppy Support service. In the survey 1 in
5 Poppy Support beneficiaries cited debt as one of the most prevalent difficulties in their lives,
with those who had served with the military for between 3 and 5 years struggling the most.
The Caseworker, Henry Rowlands (left), based at Scarborough & District Citizens
Advice Bureau can offer confidential, free and impartial information and advice
on a range of issues including tax credits, benefits, housing, family and debt from
both their Scarborough and Whitby offices. Home visits will be offered to people
who are housebound.
Henry is particularly qualified for this work because, as an ex serviceman, he can
empathize with Forces & ex-Forces Personnel because he spent 25 years in the
Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (REME). As a married man he lived in
Service housing abroad, raising two children whilst serving, and therefore
understands the problems this brings. He has also had practical experience of having to deal
with War Pensions because of arthritis brought on by the demands of his Service.
Henry has been an adviser in Scarborough CAB for over 10 years, (firstly as a Volunteer) before
taking various part time paid roles giving Welfare Benefit, Housing Benefit, and Debt advice as
well as doing Social Policy work. To take up this role he has also had to gain accreditation as a
qualified Money Advice worker and is an Associate Member of the Institute of Money Advisers.
He is an appointed Intermediary to deal with the new Debt Relief Orders in addition being able
to advise on bankruptcy and Debt Management Plans.
The scheme has become so well received that the BMA Service was recently awarded the
Partnership of the Year 2010 by the Institute of Money Advisers and was a Finalist if the Third
Sector Excellency Awards 2009.
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Dedicated telephone/fax: 01723 355746
Some examples of the cases recently undertaken
A 91 year old widow, living on her own, in a property she owns, with significant savings, was
finding it difficult to pay her ongoing expenses out of her limited income and was worried her
savings would run out.
We identified she was entitled to High Rate Attendance Allowance, and having secured this we
also identified she was entitled to Guaranteed Pension Credit, which also resulted in her being
entitled to full Council Tax Benefit. With no Council Tax to pay she was immediately £900
better off, and with the Disability Benefits and Guaranteed Pension Credit her annual income
was increased by over £5000.
An elderly couple in their late 80’s sought our advice as they were concerned about increased
costs due to their ill health. They were living in their own home, but because of limited
income they found they had little spare money to pay for taxi’s etc.
We identified that they were both entitled to Attendance Allowance; because they also acted
as Carer’s for each other we made claims for the appropriate disability benefits. This then
entitled them to Guaranteed Pension Credit (so again they had no Council Tax to pay) and we
managed to increase their joint income by more than £12,000 per year. In addition we helped
them make a claim for a Disabled Facilities Grant to have their bathroom transformed into a
“wet room” and they were successfully awarded the full £3,500 to pay for the work.
We had a 45 year old divorced man who was living in a rented property who was falling
behind with his rent because he was ill and had limited income from Employment Support
Allowance and a small private pension. We identified that due to an error in his calculation for
Housing & Council Tax Benefits he had been consistently underpaid since 2009 and secured a
refund of over £700 in underpaid Local Housing Allowance and £340 in Council Tax (enough to
clear his arrears) and now he receives the correct benefits and has enough money to be able to
pay his way.
We helped a couple in their 50’s who were living in private rented accommodation which was
unsuitable because of their combined disabilities, to move into a Registered Social Landlord
bungalow which meant their living costs were reduced and had been adapted for those with
disabilities.
