Voice NI http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/ This is an XML content feed of; Voice NI : Last 10 Posts Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:13:52 +0000 Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:35:52 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 9.08 30 www.adviceni.net/econsultation/RSS_topic_feed.asp Voice NI http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/forum_images/voice_logo1.jpg http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/ Struggling to Keep Warm at Home? : Welcome Message http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/forum_posts.asp?TID=140&PID=755#755 Author: Mrs Jenkins
Subject: Welcome Message
Posted: 08 Dec 2008 at 2:35pm

I am an 80 year old who lives in the falls Rd area of Belfast.  Last year I had a gas boiler installed through the warm homes scheme.  At the time I was very grateful and was happy that my house would be warmer and was told it would be a lot cheaper to run.

I am currently paying nearly ÂŁ30 per week to heat my home for 4hrs a day, that’s two in the morning and two in the evening.  The weather is so cold at the minute I have to keep my heating on for more that 4hrs a day, this is costing me so much money which I can’t afford.  I have arthritis which I suffer badly with in the cold weather and not being able to heat my home enough is causing me to be bed bound.

When I had my boiler installed it was installed in the bedroom in my home this has often worried me as I would fear the boiler would blow up or leak deadly gases if not serviced every year.

This brings me to my final point that when I had my new gas boiler installed via warm homes no one told me it would have to be serviced every year and that I would need insurance cover in case of break down.  I simply can’t afford to pay for servicing or insurance for a boiler.  I have only my state pension to live on.  As for the ÂŁ250 extra fuel payment I received I am now using  some of  it to pay Phoenix Gas to service my boiler so the money is not being used in the way it was intended to be used – to heat my home.

I think the warm homes scheme should tell people before they install the boilers that it will need serviced every year and the costs involved maintaining a boiler i.e. insurance.  If the Warm homes scheme can provide these boilers why can’t they pay to maintain the boilers also.

A very distressed eldery lady

Mrs Jenkins



Edited by Administrator - 14 Jan 2009 at 3:10pm]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:35:52 +0000 http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/forum_posts.asp?TID=140&PID=755#755 Struggling to Keep Warm at Home? : Will changes to the Warm Home Scheme affect you? http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/forum_posts.asp?TID=146&PID=754#754 Author: Arfawn
Subject: Will changes to the Warm Home Scheme affect you?
Posted: 04 Dec 2008 at 12:28pm

Very interesting and important point made rowan, maybe the scheme should be doing more to help people, on low incomes who are not entitled to benefits, with repair/servicing costs should their boiler "give up the ghost".  After all the vision of the DSD fuel poverty strategy states “that people should live in a warm, comfortable home and need not worry about the effect of cold on their health”.  Perhaps this is issue that the scheme is currently weak on and needs amended? 

 

As we are now into our last few days of this e-consultation, I would be very interested to hear your views on what additional measures the scheme should provide “to target available resources at those people most in need of help”.

]]> Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:28:53 +0000 http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/forum_posts.asp?TID=146&PID=754#754 Struggling to Keep Warm at Home? : Will changes to the Warm Home Scheme affect you? http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/forum_posts.asp?TID=146&PID=753#753 Author: rowan@larne.gov.uk
Subject: Will changes to the Warm Home Scheme affect you?
Posted: 04 Dec 2008 at 11:31am

I am receiving the state pension, but not entitled to any other benefits. I received the grant towards cavity wall insulation, which I really appreciated. I am dismayed to see that the rules may change to be that, if you are not entitled to any benefits you may not receive any grants in the future.What happens to people like myself, who can afford to pay their normal home "running costs", but if their central heating boiler "gives up the ghost", can't afford the extra money needed to replace or fix it?]]> Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:31:02 +0000 http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/forum_posts.asp?TID=146&PID=753#753 Struggling to Keep Warm at Home? : Will changes to the Warm Home Scheme affect you? http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/forum_posts.asp?TID=146&PID=752#752 Author: geraldine
Subject: Will changes to the Warm Home Scheme affect you?
Posted: 03 Dec 2008 at 4:36pm

 was out with a group in Antrim on Monday afternoon and one comment on the Warm Home scheme was the length of time it was taking to actually have the work carried out.  This is not the first time I have heard this as another client told me he waited 12 months before the work was done.  This seems extremely long because when I was in LNBCC and referring clients to Northern Exposure the time frame was nothing like this.  That is one thing, but another was the fact that on my home visits I have found that the elderly do not know their NINO’s and have to contact family members to get the info, therefore I really do not think that this could he achieved over the phone with a call centre as this can take time and sometimes I have to ring back and get it from relatives.  This is all time consuming but they willingly get me the info but I also think that because I was out and they have a point of contact and it is local then this builds a trust and they feel that they can give this info out with no worry.   I mean we are forever telling people not to give bank details etc over the phone and this to me is no different in fact with identity fraud it is extremely important not to give details.  ]]> Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:36:42 +0000 http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/forum_posts.asp?TID=146&PID=752#752 Are Tax Credits Working for You? : The Tax Credits System http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/forum_posts.asp?TID=144&PID=751#751 Author: KevinH
Subject: The Tax Credits System
Posted: 03 Dec 2008 at 9:36am

The following post was emailed direct to Advice NI by Helen Sim, Ballysillan Community Forum Advice Centre / NBAP:
 
Our advice service  had a  case where a client was granted parental responsibility by the courts for his Grandchild in April 2008. The clients only income at the time was  Income Support.  Once the client had the been granted parental responsibility he made a claim for Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit.  He received Payment of Child Tax Credit in July 2008.
 
The client contacted us in September 2008 when he still hadn't received any payment of Child Benefit. He had made many calls to the Department but couldn't get anyone to assist him or tell him why it was taking so long to process his claim. 
 
 We tried to telephone the helpline on several occasions but couldn't get to speak to anyone, all we got was an answer machine advising us " all  operators and busy please call back later". We then wrote to HMRC on 22 September 2008 but never received any acknowledgement from them. We contacted Advice NI who took details of the case to take it, along with other outstanding  cases,  to HMRC.  Our client contacted us at beginning of November to advise us he had finally received payment of Child Benefit.
 
It seems strange that whilst HMRC administer both benefits Child Tax Credit only took a few weeks to process whilst Child benefit took 6 months.
]]> Wed, 03 Dec 2008 09:36:10 +0000 http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/forum_posts.asp?TID=144&PID=751#751 Crunch Times at the Frontline : Working at the frontline http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/forum_posts.asp?TID=145&PID=750#750 Author: PeterMc
Subject: Working at the frontline
Posted: 01 Dec 2008 at 11:24am

I agree with MichaelR's point that demand for locally accessible quality frontline advice services has dramatically increased with significant additional debt related work which is time consuming and yet there are no additional resources to meet demand.  There are reports all across N.I. from CABx and independent advice agencies about the increased demand and many offices are struggling to meet current demand or even remain open, with some having to restrict service delivery due to current case load management issues. 
 
'Crunch times at the frontline' is real and it is also having a ripple effect across the advice sector and the ripples are fast becoming waves!!  Never has there been a better time to consider if we can deliver our services better with the limited resources we have and for me that means strategic and collaborative partnership working. 
We now know about the number of Councils under RPA and 2011; we now know what is envisaged in Opening Doors;  we will soon learn about hub locations; we now know about Age Concern & Help the Aged merging; we now know of the L'Derry and the North and West Belfast Advice partnerships between independent advice agencies and CABx and yes, i think we all now know of the need to think ahead on partnership working NOW - for the benefit of our clients and our own survival - it is as stark as that!! 
In fact if partnerships such as those mentioned above continue to evolve naturally, Opening Doors will theoretically happen itself without waiting on the DSD/VCU-now there's food for thought - lets see some leadership on this during these crunch times!
]]> Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:24:20 +0000 http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/forum_posts.asp?TID=145&PID=750#750 Struggling to Keep Warm at Home? : Will changes to the Warm Home Scheme affect you? http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/forum_posts.asp?TID=146&PID=749#749 Author: Luke
Subject: Will changes to the Warm Home Scheme affect you?
Posted: 28 Nov 2008 at 7:37pm

josieM makes a good point. Call me a cynic, but I would like to know whether the changes will open up the scheme or will they actually serve to reduce access to the scheme. On the face it more people might be eligible (working age people), but taking away upgrades etc might mean less people can get the help they need. Any data on this?]]> Fri, 28 Nov 2008 19:37:38 +0000 http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/forum_posts.asp?TID=146&PID=749#749 Struggling to Keep Warm at Home? : Will changes to the Warm Home Scheme affect you? http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/forum_posts.asp?TID=146&PID=748#748 Author: Mary
Subject: Will changes to the Warm Home Scheme affect you?
Posted: 28 Nov 2008 at 3:32pm

Our house gets very cold during the winter. We often run out of oil very often have to go long periods without filling up due to costs which we can afford. I have a young baby so am not looking forward to the winter period as we can't let the house get too cold for him but can't afford to pay the costs to heat it. Our heating system is very old and inefficient but we cant afford to change it. We are just above the threshold to qualify for working tax credits and feel that we are in the middle income poverty trap. Our mortgage payments are very high so we have no disposable income (and cant even afford to pay for essentials such as heat), but we get no help from schemes such as this due to our income level. I would like to see the warm home scheme offered to people in situations such as ours. Even if the scheme could offer help towards costs for those on incomes above the threshold would be useful.
 
 
]]> Fri, 28 Nov 2008 15:32:02 +0000 http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/forum_posts.asp?TID=146&PID=748#748 Struggling to Keep Warm at Home? : Will changes to the Warm Home Scheme affect you? http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/forum_posts.asp?TID=146&PID=747#747 Author: josieM
Subject: Will changes to the Warm Home Scheme affect you?
Posted: 28 Nov 2008 at 2:58pm

Hi

I would like to apply for a Warm Homes Grant - I live in an old house which is very cold. I looked through the details of the Warm Homes Scheme and I'm confused as to whether I can qualify. I have 2 children and am on benefits - it doesn't tell me in the document if I qualify or not - do I have to be claiming a particular benefit and if so how does it affect my benefits????  Any help or information would be appreciated.

Thanks

Josie
]]> Fri, 28 Nov 2008 14:58:39 +0000 http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/forum_posts.asp?TID=146&PID=747#747 Are Tax Credits Working for You? : The Tax Credits System http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/forum_posts.asp?TID=144&PID=746#746 Author: Bronagh B
Subject: The Tax Credits System
Posted: 27 Nov 2008 at 12:14pm

case referred to CCS - young male client - his partner had given birth to their son and passed away 11 days later. We were asked to help out several weeks later - client had taken over full  time care of son and had made a claim to Child Benefit/Child Tax Credit - he was getting concerned as he had received no monies  despite repeated calls to both Departments - supplying them with all information requested.At this point client, already a highly vulnerable client was surviving only on Incapacity Benefit.
When we contacted Child Benefit conveying our deep concern at the delay in processing claim - we were told that client would receive a telephone call from CB and that they would process asap. No contact was made despite several calls to CB/ deeply frustrating-felt as if we were being 'fobbed off' - furthermore there was nowhere we could go with it -no local contact - In desperation i drafted a strongly worded letter to TaX credits/Beaufort House which client hand delivered -they were able to pay client that weeks money and advised him to call weekly for payment while they sorted it out.Glad of this but did not take account of the fact client would have to pay to  get  into city centre to collect payment. Further calls to CB-speaking with supervisors - as before sympathetic at clients plight but unable to really do anything concrete. In utter desperation and anger i contacted Kevin Higgins to vent my frustration and to see if there was any way around this bureaucratic nightmare!!!
At last CB make contact with client and promised case would be processed asap. Baby is now over 4 months old!!!! Some good news - tax credit have this week deposited into clients account  all arrears to date and will pay weekly entitlement into clients bank  account. On a serious note i am appalled at the length of time it has taken to sort this  out  - given that CB is the passport to CTC - what do they think client and baby will live on for the 4 months ???? cannot get my h ead around it.  Thanks to Kevin for  his support and for listening to  me when i was on a rant!!
]]> Thu, 27 Nov 2008 12:14:21 +0000 http://www.adviceni.net/econsultation/forum_posts.asp?TID=144&PID=746#746