We have a new worker in the team doing some relief for us.Lets call him Rob.
Rob is from a manufacturing and IT background and not worked in this field before. He started volunteering with one of Frameworks services and is now doing floating support work.
I think its fair to say, that Rob was surprised at what our service users were experiencing.
He returned from a support session today and was absolutley dismayed to learn that a service user had borrowed £500.00 from a loan company, with a repayment of £26.00 per week. The service user is totally dependent on the benefit system and cannot afford to repay such a loan. The loan has doubled in a matter of weeks and the service user is now being threatened by a "friendly collection agent".
Rob and the team will of course be working with the service user for as long as our service exists to make a more reasonable repayment plan and deal with the harrassment from the "friendly collection agent".
Another scenario:
Jack has a mortgage on his 4 bedroomed house and has worked all of his adult life. Jack has a wife and had 3 children, until one died last year. Jack, has learning difficulties and cannot read or write. Jack and his family are going through some very difficult times having lost their teenage daughter recently. Jack was in full time work but couldn't bare to go back after the death of his daughter because he felt he couldn't face people at work or handle their questions and/or sympathy. Jack is doing some agency work but not full time. Jacks wife, lets call her Mandy, has not left her family home since the funeral of her daughter and is suffering from agoraphobia, she is also self harming and has suicidal thoughts. There are also 2 other children in the home. This family have a lot going on and need suppport. Jack tells me he got a van to help him get work. "Great" I say. How much did it cost? Jack goes on to tell me that he has signed an agreement with a company. I have now looked at the legally binding contract, and Jack has leased a van for a massive amount per month. He will never, ever own that van and he will be paying them thousands of pounds!!
You see most people who don't work in the field like Rob, have no idea what kind of scam like loans or arrangements there are out there!!
It is outrageous that the companies that pull these cons will continue to exist but the services that can help people out of these tricky situations won't - don't you think?
3 comments:
On my travels yesterday I heard that Nottingham CAB is is big trouble, losing almost 80% of their overall funding. This is significant because it means a drastic reduction in their ability to advise clients with complex debt cases.
The result of this will be increased business for the private debt management companies. From my experience, the charges levied to their customers are vastly inflated compared to debt cases dealt with through the CAB.
However you look at it, it is unfair, unjust and preying on the misery of those who are least able to afford it.
It makes me sick to my stomach.
Hi Pokerfiend
Absolutley. I am very fearful about how people are going to survive.
I feel proud that the voluntary sector have worked so hard over the last 5 years building up a network of services that have fought to engage those most difficult to reach.
When one considers the amount of self referrals services used to get compared to now, that amount has at least tripled - that means one thing - people are wanting to help themselves - they know they can trust the services in place and want to get themselves help - personal responsibility.
And now I feel resentful that all of that is going to be ripped away from those that need it most!!
Just to clarify - that the voluntary sector has being working hard for much longer than 5 years at providing vulnerable people with service. I was referring to my experience of floating support.
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