Kenton Project

Kenton Project

The Kenton project is a face-to-face advice service operated from the Kenton Customer service centre run by Newcastle City Council. The service centre itself is located right in the centre of the community and is operated as a 'one stop shop' for local authority services encompassing rent and council tax payments, library service, social services, Your homes advice and support and Local Authority Benefits officers. Eaga are working in partnership with the directorates of the Local Authority to deliver our services to our clients.

Eaga can assist with all aspects of Welfare benefit entitlement and escalate this to specialist legal advice for those people with developing or ongoing issues. Through our face to face service we can identify and gather information during interviews and transfer our clients to a dedicated specialist in other areas of law including Housing, Employment and debt advice. This can be delivered on sight via appointment or taken on over the phone.

The Challenge

With increasing pressures on individuals and families during the economic crisis currently experienced in the UK more and more people require assistance in the areas of law we cover, particularly those related to welfare benefits. Not only do we have contact with long term benefit claimants but we have seen an increasing number of people seeking assistance through redundancy who have had no experience of the welfare benefits system.

The Solution

We aim to offer a comprehensive advice service through our drop in sessions over three days of the week (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) where we are available to address any problems or enquiries people may have in relation to the areas of law we cover. The advice is given to peer review standard one (assessed under the CLA contract that Eaga operate).

Achievements

In the six weeks the service has operated we have seen over 50 people, assisting in a range of issues from Tax Credit queries to Housing and Debt issues.

Examples of people who have benefited

Backdated payments totalling £4000

A client had experienced multiple problems with their Tax Credits award following redundancy. Through meetings with the client a strong and successful case was built which resulted in £4000 of backdated Tax Credit payments due to the client. Eaga Advice Services is currently pursuing compensation payments in relation to this. The client not only benefited financially but had a huge personal burden lifted.

Resolution within a week

Referred by NCC the client, a foreign national with limited understanding of English, had a serious housing issue and was facing court action which could have resulted in eviction from his property. It was arranged for a specialist Housing Advisor to assist him with his housing case and to negotiate directly with the housing authority. The case was resolved within a week and the client was able to keep his property and reduce his arrears. A benefit check revealed that as well as qualifying for Job Seeker Allowance the client could also claim for full housing and council tax benefit awards enabling him to maintain his tenancy payments.

Winning benefit appeal

A client came to the Centre requiring help with their Incapacity Benefit (IB) appeal. An assessment interview was conducted to indentify the client’s IB issues with evidence gathered and a legal submission complied. The client was represented at their tribunal by an Eaga advisor who successfully managed to overturn the medical examiner’s decision. As a result the client had their full benefit entitlement restored and has been recognised as unfit for work.