CARBS Help to Claim opened in Redhill and Banstead in April 2019. Since then we’ve helped over 700 clients* start what for many is an anxious journey.
Some clients are claiming benefit for the first time. They worry about how they will live, perhaps after redundancy or illness. For others, who are used to older benefits (now part of universal credit), the pressure can be even greater. How will new and different requirements affect their family income?
Everyone’s situation is unique.
Reflecting on progress to date, Juliet Barclay, Help to Claim Coordinator, said it was vital to see each client as an individual human being.
“Everyone’s situation is unique. Our special contribution is to recognise this and get people off to a good start. It’s particularly important for more vulnerable clients.
“Helping a single person with the basic claim process can be completed in 30 minutes, an hour for a couple. But often it takes a lot longer. For instance, if it’s not clear whether they should be claiming at all, they may need a full benefits check.
Partnership working with Job Centre Plus
Our team has a built up good working relationships with Job Centre Plus at Epsom and Redhill. JCP management and work coaches understandably focus on helping clients meet their job search responsibilities. It’s not their role to advise on wider problems even if they see it may be needed. That’s where CA Help to Claim colleagues and trained volunteers come in.
Juliet says: “Our work is complementary to JCP so it makes all kinds of sense to get to know who they are and how they work. They have a duty to their customers but also, quite rightly, to the public. We can spend longer and concentrate on the client’s issues. It’s positive on both sides.”
The value of partnership is felt in several ways….
i) Juliet’s adviser colleague Khensu works part of the week at JCP Redhill ii) clients looking for more help after making their claim feel confident in coming to us iii) JCP Epsom has offered to meet our research group to discuss the experience of self-employed people claiming universal credit.
* Unique clients. Total number of cases and appointments is well over 1000.