Windmill Hill Big Local Project
Support for Windmill Hill Residents from April 2016 – October 2021
Key Statistics
Since April 2016 Citizens Advice have helped 568 Windmill Hill residents with one to one support. Many of these have received ongoing support for multiple issues. We have also helped 172 people via group sessions giving information on money, benefits and consumer rights.
Advice Provided
We have helped residents with over 3000 issues with the top areas for advice being around Benefits and Debt.
Additional Income for Clients
Through accessing debt support £281,369
Accessing additional benefits and other monies £241,847
We have also helped 44 clients get grants to purchase white goods, beds etc.
Julie’s Story
Julie is a single parent of three young children she came to Citizens Advice for help as she was struggling to keep on top of paying her bills. At the time of seeking help Julie had debts totalling around £9,500 and was starting to get threatening letters from her creditors which were causing her stress and anxiety.
As julie had been struggling so much with her money she had very little food and was almost in the emergency credit on her prepayment meters. The adviser was able to provide Julie with a food bank voucher and a fuel voucher to help her. Julie also told the adviser that her washing machine had been broken for a few months and she had been relying on friends to help with her washing or had been washing children’s clothes in her bath. The adviser was able to access a grant for a new washing machine for Julie. Julie was fast tracked through for an appointment with the CAB in house debt specialist team who were able to put Julie through the debt relief scheme and have her debts written off.
As Julie’s youngest child had just started school she was in a position to start looking for employment. Julie was signed up to the CAB employability project where she was allocated a key worker who is currently working with her on confidence levels and to help with looking for work. The keyworker has also helped Julie with budgeting and putting together a household spending plan so that she does not fall back into debt.
Julie said that the help she has received from the CAB has really given her a fresh start and she feels that she can now move on with her life and hopefully get into employment.