Case Studies...

Help to address debt during a traumatic time

Anna* was referred to CHAP by Citrus Energy for help with energy related debt, following the death of her partner.


Our Advisors were able to assist Anna with the unwelcome pressure of dealing with debt at the same time as coming to terms with her loss, and unexpectedly becoming a single parent with two children.


CHAP supported Anna to develop a clearer picture of her income & expenditure and to send ‘hold’ letters to creditors to give her some space. We were then also able to help her engage with creditor companies.


Crucially, the outstanding debt was in Anna’s late partner’s name, and our advisor recommended submitting a ‘debt write off’ request on that basis.


Fortunately, the write off request was successful, saving Anna nearly £5,000 and restoring much-needed peace of mind at a difficult time.


There are many ways to get into debt and many ways to navigate out of a debt situation before it gets out of control. If debt is a concern and you live in North Ayrshire, contact CHAP on 030 0002 0002. We’ll help if we can.


*Not her real name 

Help to navigate the complex Welfare System

Adam* was referred to CHAP by a third party, to help to apply for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and to complete a UC50 form, which is used by DWP to decide if someone is required to work or look for work. Adam is a single adult who lives in social tenancy and is currently deemed unfit for work.


Due to ongoing health conditions and unfamiliarity with the benefits systems, Adam really needed support to address these issues. He was starting to feel overwhelmed, while simultaneously searching for work and submitting required ‘fit notes’ to Universal Credit.


CHAP Advisors helped him to complete and submit both the UC50 form, and the PIP application. The process is not simple but we were able to help Adam through the whole thing, including when the PIP application was refused, and the case was escalated to a First Tier Tribunal.


Much to Adam’s delight, his PIP appeal was eventually successful. This, along with the acceptance of the UC50 form, meant that he was awarded a backdated payment of over £2,000 and an ongoing, combined annual benefit uplift of nearly £7,000.


If you live in North Ayrshire, are struggling with money and think you may have a case to receive more financial assistance, contact CHAP on 030 0002 0002 and we will help if we can.


*Not his real name

Help to address ‘nightmare neighbours’

Kate* first reached out to CHAP for advice regarding what financial help might be available, after reading about the ‘New Better Off Ayrshire’ (NBO) project.  CHAP delivers this in partnership with North Ayrshire Council across the Three Towns area - Ardrossan, Saltcoats, and Stevenston.


A meeting was arranged with one of our advisers and it soon became clear that Kate was also in need of housing support. She was experiencing serious issues with a neighbour’s repeatedly antisocial behavior.


Because of various health concerns, Kate is unable to work and the problems with her neighbor had begun to take a toll on both day-to-day life and her general wellbeing. Another meeting was therefore set up where a housing specialist at CHAP could talk Kate through the various options available to her.


As the process went on, the Council’s Anti-Social Behavior Team (ASBT) got involved and CHAP was able to support Kate to make an accessible housing application. The matter was then escalated to the ‘Area Housing Office’ who handle complaints. At time of writing, this process is ongoing.


Of course, we accept that we ‘cannot win ‘em all’ but in complex cases like this, sheer tenacity and the knowledge required to navigate the system are often what make the real difference.


CHAP advisors are here to help.


If you live in North Ayrshire, are struggling with money and think you may have a case to receive more financial assistance, contact CHAP on 030 0002 0002 and we will help if we can.


*Not her real name

Help to gain a fresh start

Lee* got into contact with CHAP as he needed help to manage various debts, including some relating to rent and council tax, after suffering severe health issues meaning he had to take early retirement.


An appointment was made with one of CHAP’s dedicated advisors, who was able to talk Lee through his options and help him to make a fully informed choice.


Lee also faced a bereavement during this process, understandably increasing his distress. The advisor made sure to work with Lee at his own pace, so that that the process did not become too overwhelming.


Eventually he decided that filing for official bankruptcy was the best and most appropriate option for him.


While this isn’t a solution for all, Lee’s financial situation and quality of life both improved when the bankruptcy was accepted. He also told us that CHAP’s services had hugely helped to reduce the stress he was under, and that he had been ‘helped more than he had thought was possible’.


We were glad to be able to help Lee regain control of his life and finances. Often, knowledge and advice are all that is required and all CHAP’s services are free.


There are many ways to get into debt and many ways to navigate out of a debt situation before it gets out of control. If debt is a concern and you live in North Ayrshire, contact CHAP on 030 0002 0002. We’ll help if we can.


*Not his real name

Help to navigate the Welfare System

Mary* suffers from poor health and disability so she is unable to work. She receives Employment and Support Allowance, but this barely covers her living costs. 


Every month seemed like an uphill struggle to Mary. She was made aware she could apply for Personal Independence Payment, which could make life significantly easier financially but unfortunately, her request for this was turned down. 


Worried sick about how to manage her finances, friends and family referred Mary to CHAP for advice.


CHAP’s welfare rights officer met with Mary to understand her case better and to start the appeal process. We discussed the eligibility requirements for Personal Independence Payment with her in detail and concluded that she qualified for the payment. On that basis, we helped her to ask for a Mandatory Reconsideration.


We submitted documents on her behalf, but these were once again rejected and Mary began to lose hope.  It’s worth remembering however that there are often additional channels able to be pursued. We worked closely with Mary to lodge an appeal to a Tribunal and clearly outlined why we believed Mary should be awarded the payment. 


Fortunately, the original decision was finally overruled. Mary was awarded Personal Independence Payment and received a backdated sum of over £2000. This allows Mary to live without constantly worrying about how to get by and to live more happily as a result.  


It’s true what they say that “You can’t win ‘em all” but it often helps to have people beside you who understand the system, and who can lessen the strain of navigating the system alone.  


If you live in North Ayrshire, are struggling with money and think you may have a case to receive more financial assistance, contact CHAP on 030 0002 0002 and we will help if we can.


*Not her real name

Mental Health and Debt 

Mark* was referred to CHAP when his joint struggles with debt and mental health began to get out of control. One of our money advice workers met with him to see how we could help.


We sat down with Mark to look at his income and what he typically spent his money on. Various options were considered and after we had talked things through with him, Mark decided he wanted to apply to have debts written off due to his mental health problems. He believed that illness meant he was unable to understand or be responsible for his finances.


CHAP advisers started working with Mark to gather evidence of his mental health, as this would be necessary to be able to apply to write off his debts. We reached out to local medical professionals who were able to carry out assessments and compile a report.


Our advisers also assisted Mark in completing a Debt and Mental Health form, which would be used as evidence for creditors to understand his situation.


Mark said he felt huge relief that his debt situation was finally being managed. The solution chosen in this case was his preferred option and it made him feel much more relaxed to have CHAP to help him gather all the documentation required.


Mark felt sure he’d never have been able to do this by himself and had been growing increasingly worried that his debt would just get worse, with no obvious way out of the situation he found himself in.


The reports by medical professionals confirmed the poor state of Mark’s mental health and his inability at the time to manage his own finances. This allowed CHAP’s money advice worker to get in touch with the creditors and explain, backed by the evidence we had gathered.


CHAP’s advisers worked with Mark to explain the situation to creditors, at a time when he felt he was not able to do this himself. Happily, his creditors accepted the evidence, leading to a total of over £20,000 of debt being written off.


This has allowed Mark to make a fresh start and concentrate on his health. It is hoped that he will continue to work with CHAP and we can support him to better manage his money and further reduce the stress he has been feeling.


There are many ways to get into debt and many ways to navigate out of a debt situation before it gets out of control.  If debt is a concern and you live in North Ayrshire, contact CHAP on 030 0002 0002. We’ll help if we can.


*Not his real name

Falling Ill and Into Debt

Sarah* contacted CHAP when she found herself at risk of becoming homeless.

 

She owned her own home with a mortgage and she held down two jobs which supported her lifestyle. But, as can happen to anyone, Sarah unfortunately fell ill and was no longer able to work.

 

Sarah had no real savings and no financial safety net. She quickly started to feel like she was drowning in debt and began to worry seriously about losing her home. Thankfully, this was the point where she realised she needed help and contacted CHAP for advice.

 

Our debt advisers were happy to offer a helping hand. We sat down with her to work out how much money she had coming in and what her commitments were each month. As Sarah recovered from illness, her income had been restored but this still never seemed enough to last the whole month.

 

We advised Sarah to keep a diary of all her payments and spending, to give a complete picture of her financial situation. It soon became apparent that additional debts and expensive past choices continued to drag on her monthly income.

 

These ongoing payments were making life hard for Sarah and we saw her anxiety levels soar again when she realised the full extent of her problems.

 

Working closely with Sarah, we were able to create a realistic payment plan to manage her debts, with the aim of becoming eventually debt-free. We also contacted her creditors and mortgage lender on her behalf. They accepted the plan and ceased legal action against her; hugely reducing the stress she had been under.

 

Two months on, Sarah is in a very different place and continuing to work on reducing her debt at a level she can manage. AND to sleep better at night in her own home.

 

There are many ways to get into debt and many ways to navigate out of debt before it gets out of control. If you are a homeowner living in Ayrshire and struggling to pay your mortgage, contact CHAP on 030 0002 0002 and we’ll help if we can.

 

*Not her real name

Rent Arrears and Eviction

Client presented for assistance as they had been given an eviction date due to accruing rent arrears. Their case had already called in court.


CHAP advisor submitted a ‘Minute for Recall’ to the Court to stop the eviction and recall the case to court to allow the client to be represented.


Through investigations, it was discovered that there was a break in the client’s housing benefit claim. The case was ‘continued’ at court to allow the CHAP advisor to ask for a reconsideration of the client’s housing benefit award. The reconsideration was successful and a backdate of £1650 was awarded which reduced the client’s arrears dramatically, with an affordable payment plan being put in place for the remaining arrears.  The case was ‘sisted’ at court (meaning the case was ‘put to sleep’) and the client remained in their tenancy.


Client was also assisted to set up an affordable payment plan for another debt which they had.

Mandatory Reconsideration

Client approached CHAP for assistance to complete a mandatory reconsideration against a PIP decision.


Client was previously awarded the enhanced rate for the mobility component which entitled them to a car from the Mobility scheme as the client had very limited mobility.  Following the renewal of the client’s PIP award, they were only awarded the standard rate for mobility which meant that the client was not entitled to a car from the Mobility scheme.



With the assistance of a CHAP advisor, a mandatory reconsideration and appropriate evidence was submitted to the DWP and the decision was overturned and the client was awarded the enhanced rate for Mobility which allowed the client to keep their mobility car.

Debt and Welfare Rights

Client presented to project for assistance as they were unable to make their benefit payments last until the next payment, meaning they had to borrow money each month to be able to make ends meet.


The client had credit card debt and was struggling to make payments towards them – this was causing the client to feel stressed on top of already struggling with mental ill health.


The CHAP advisor carried out a benefit check and advised the client that they may be entitled to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) due to their health issues.  Client was assisted to contact the DWP and the advisor assisted the client to complete the appropriate form. The PIP application was successful with the client being awarded almost £5000 annually and a backdate payment of £1500.



The CHAP advisor also assisted the client to contact all their creditors to ask for the debt to be written off due to the client’s health issues – this resulted in debts of nearly £6000 being written off for the client.


The client now has a disposable income each month and conveyed this is the first time in many years that they have been debt free.

Council Tax

A client presented to the project for assistance as they had recently discovered they were exempt from paying Council Tax, due to meeting the Severe Mental Impairment (SMI) rules. The client had received a refund of the money they paid towards their Council Tax in that financial year.


However, the client felt that their health condition had been the same for many years, but they had never been made aware of their exemption from Council Tax.


A CHAP advisor contacted the local Council Tax department on behalf of the client and submitted a request for the SMI to be backdated due to the client’s health issues. The CHAP advisor assisted the client to source the evidence required to support this request.


Through discussion with the client, it became apparent that the client previously resided in another local authority area.  The CHAP advisor also contacted that Council Tax department and requested a backdate of SMI.



Both local authorities agreed to backdate the SMI and the client received a total refund of £3056 as a result.

Mortgage and Debt

A client presented for assistance with debt. They were a lone parent and an owner occupier, with a mortgaged property. The client worked part time.


The client had been struggling with debts. They had missed the last two mortgage payments and were concerned about their house. The client was not opening their mail as they were afraid it was more debt letters.


The client worked with a CHAP advisor and was assisted to set up a Debt Payment Programme. The client now has an affordable monthly payment which goes towards their debts and has an affordable payment plan in place for their mortgage arrears.



The client advised us they were no longer worried about being evicted from their home and felt that they can now manage their money much better which has resulted in their stress levels reducing.

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