Case Study 1
a woman in her seventies, was referred to Money Matters by her new Social Work home help. Her council flat only had electricity and the heating was very expensive - She usually kept it off. She was double incontinent and her washing machine was broken. Her income was retirement pension of £55 a week plus another £10 from a works pension.
The advisor paid her a home visit and was present when the GP visited to ensure that her needs were properly communicated. The client moved onto Disability Allowance (attendance at the hihest rate) of £53.55 a week, backdated leading to £4, 000 lump sum, and onto Income Support (another £61.25). her weekly income therefore, went up from £65 to £179.80. She was also able to get a grant of over £1, 000 for a new washing machine and for adaptations around the house.

Case Study 2
A man in his fifties came to Money Matters in order to get help filling in an Incapacity Benefit form. In the course of an informal chat, it turned out that he had his phone disconnected which was potentially a serious problem because of his poor health. Further investigation showed that although he was receiving the right amount, he should have been on Income Support with a disability premium, not Incapacity Benefit - so, he was not recieving the 'passported' benefits that the former brings.

In subsequent contact, it transpired that he had a number of other debts. A friend who had moved in to help him out ran up a big phone bill and then left without trace leaving him disconnected and with a debt of £185.50. He also had gas and electricity arrears and a loan with a home credit company of £600 that he was paying off at £40 a week.
His adviser was able to reassure him that current inability to repay this would not leak back to his son, for whom he had originally taken out the loan and who had paid him back. he also had council tax arrears of over £1,000.

His advisor helped him make the move to Income Support which had 2 immediate benefits: his rent (with a private landlord) was covered fully by Housing Benefits, saving £20 a week and he has been able to use fuel and arrears direct (which are only available to those on Income Support) to begin to pay off his council tax and fuel debts. Furthermore, work with the advisor showed that the council tax arrears should have been less than 20% of the amount he was due i.e less £200. The Money Matter advisor was also able to negotiate a repayment of £5 a week towards the phone debt.

Case Study 3
A male in his thirties living on his own was referred to Money Matters by his councillor. He was facing steep claims from the Child Support Agency, a lump sum (for backdated payments) of already £900, plus a weekly payment of £45. There was no contact between him and his ex-partner.

Although the reason for him approaching Money Matters was the CSA. It became apparent during the course of his contact with the money advisor that he had debts with a finance company and a credit card, accrued while setting up his new house, of over £10,000 with extra interest payments mounting up. He also had rent and council tax arrears. The advisor was immediately able to reassure him that he would not have to declare himself bankrupt.

The first priority was to sort out the CSA payments, before which it would not be possible to make firm offers to the creditors. Because the ex-partner was in work, it was she (not the Benefit Agency) who was making the demands through the CSA - Money Matters therefore advised him that if at all possible, to re-establish contact. She agreed to a schedule of CSA payments (of about £100 a month) and allowed him to see the child, but insisted he moves back to his job (which he had left) at the same workplace a her "so she could keep an eye on him". When his wages go up, she will be able to know and he should increase the monthly payments and begin to inroads into the backdated amount. Money Matters asked for interest to be frozen on his debts and make a firm offer to the creditors of £23 a month to be distributed on a pro-rata basis.