Welcome to this week’s E News on the Citizens Advice Dorset website. Just a reminder that the Advice Dorset Partnership is a network of organisations providing advice and support to residents of Dorset and Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole. It is managed by Citizens Advice and is open to any organisation which provides information, advice and support/guidance to local residents.
The Advice Dorset Partnership E news is published fortnightly on a Thursday, BUT if there is something urgent in-between we will send out a short supplementary edition. This is one of those – due to annual leave the next full edition will be Thursday 17 October.
Please can you now subscribe to the newsletter (it is still FREE but in future you will get an automatic notification when it is published) – and do encourage colleagues to subscribe too. The Subscribe option is at the bottom of this page! So far I can see that over 100 people have subscribed; if you haven’t done so already please do asap.
If you would like to send anything out via the bulletin, and for all other enquiries about the Advice Dorset Partnership, contact Caroline Buxton at Citizens Advice Central Dorset: [email protected]
Trustee Opportunity
Citizens Advice East Dorset and Purbeck: CA EDP are seeking new trustees to help shape the future of a local independent charity providing free confidential advice. Experience in business development, finance, HR, marketing, or risk management are relevant. Read more in the flyer below and on their website here.
Information update
COST OF LIVING
October quick links fact sheet:
2024 OCT Cost-of-Living-Crisis-factsheet
Household Support Fund: This has been extended until March 2025. Dorset Council’s scheme with applications made via third party agencies is continuing as far as we know; BCP Council’s scheme from October is yet to be announced.
Energy Cap: From 1 October to 31 December the price for energy for a typical household who use electricity and gas and pay by Direct Debit will go up to £1717 per year. This is an increase of 10% and adds around £12 per month to an average bill. Read more on the Ofgem website.
HOUSING
Housing Ombudsman Service – ‘Call for Evidence’ on disrepair in social housing: Following a significant rise in complaints about disrepair, the Housing Ombudsman has launched a ‘Call for Evidence’ – here – to inform its next Spotlight report, to be titled ‘Repairing Trust’. One of the surveys asks tenants about their experience of landlord repairs. If tenants want to complete the survey they can do so here. Closing date 25 October.
Events
Advice Dorset Partnership Cost of Living Briefing: Thursday 24 October 9.30 – 1pm at the Dorford Centre Dorchester, DT1 1RR. This FREE morning event will include updates on cost of living support and benefit issues, plus energy advice and updates from other projects including the Dorset Gypsy Roma Traveller Advocacy Project, and Emergency Local Assistance. Booking form HERE – you can also ask to book a table to display information about your service.
Reports
Citizens Advice have published 3 reports in September:
- Left in the Lurch – How the Disability Aids Market is Failing its Customers: This report looks into the disability aids market. It analyses data from the Citizens Advice consumer service regarding complaints about disability aids, which points to significant consumer harm. Read more here.
- Where Next for the Household Support Fund? The recently announced extension of the HSF (until end of March 2025) is very welcome, but this is the 5th extension of the current fund. Citizens Advice data shows the need for this support continues to rise, and that the time is right to develop a permanent source of crisis support. Read more here.
- Designing Out Deductions – How to Address the Welfare Debt Trap: This report focuses on advance loan and overpayment deductions – the main types of deduction from UC for debts owed to government. The report builds on frontline insights from across the service, and discusses how deductions have become a normalised feature of UC, despite the fact they inevitably reduce people’s income below their assessed need. Read more here.
Funding news
Wessex Water Foundation Community Fund: This fund is now open offering grants of up to £4k. We’re are looking to help projects that are at the heart of the communities we serve, so this fund aims to support activities or projects that meet a local need and seek to improve the lives of local people who most require support. These activities or projects should be informed by the people or community and have considerable reach and wide community benefit, with priority given to work that fulfils one or more of the following:
- takes place in areas of multiple deprivation or rural isolation where people lack access to local services
- helps build stronger communities – enabling people to work together and create solutions to local challenges
- helps people take steps to manage or avoid debt and build their financial capability. This can include activities that raise awareness and take-up of utility affordability support, including Wessex Water schemes.
Closing date 18 October; read more here.