Description of the goods or services required
1) Specialist Debt Support and Advice Caseworker
2) Debt Advisor
3) Advice Gateway
Flintshire County Council are posting this notice to ascertain the level of interest in the market to provide this service with a view to a possible full tender exercise in the future. If you feel that your organisation has the capability to deliver this contract please email hannah.jones@flintshire.gov.uk to express your interest or if you have any further questions about the information contained within this speculative notice please contact Hannah Jones or Claire Green on 01352 703693 / 07585401889.
1) Specialist Debt Support and Advice Caseworker
• One FTE caseworker will receive direct referrals from the relevant support workers etc. who used to refer directly into the previous FCC Debt Advisor. They will operate a separate referral system to ensure that these clients/support workers/income officers etc. access this specific caseworker directly.
• Ordinarily clients would engage with debt advice independently and would be expected to prepare for their debt appointments without support - completing 'Income and Expenditure' and 'Creditor' forms and gathering information about their debts/applying for credit reports etc. prior to receiving full specialist debt advice at. However – the previous FCC Debt Advisor would help their clients to prepare for their debt appointments and this is something that needs to be provided as a separate support aspect to the service.
• The caseworker will be available immediately to deal with emergencies, liaise with bailiffs/creditors etc. and general 'fire-fighting' to ensure that they're supported from the outset. The previous FCC Debt Advisor would often meet with a client very quickly and deal with all the emergencies before referring on to us. This will need to be replicated.
• Ordinarily clients would need to wait approximately 2 weeks for a debt appointment, we will need to be ensured that additional support/capacity will be available for that immediate support from the very beginning.
• We believe that this intention to support clients at an early intervention stage - as the previous FCC Debt Advisor did - will continue to help avoid homeless and ensure clients are able to live independently in their homes.
2) Debt Advisor
Full-time Specialist Debt Caseworker – will be expected to work in partnership with Flintshire County Council and other supporting agencies, in order to assist clients who may have fallen behind on their rent and are at risk of homelessness.
The main aims will be to:
• Provide housing and debt advice which will prevent homelessness
• Give specialist advice on all debt options and complete Debt Relief Orders when it is appropriate to do so.
• Promote take-up of benefits (including Housing Benefit, Universal Credit and the Local Council Tax Reduction Support Scheme)
• Help clients to budget and gain the skills and confidence to maintain their home
• Manage debt in order to ensure that clients are able to pay priority bills such as rent and Council Tax
• Support clients accessing Discretionary Housing Payments to plan and manage their finances.
• Reduce the number of local residents living in fuel poverty
• Provide an holistic service for all relevant advice needs
• Use our well established links with other support organisations to refer/signpost when appropriate to do so
The provider will accept referrals from all relevant supporting agencies via a referral system.
The provider will offer a referral system which helps identify advice needs at an early stage. We believe that this early intervention helps prevent homelessness.
Each case is client centred and all options are explored thoroughly to ensure that clients are aware of their rights and responsibilities.
The provider would be supporting clients to increase income and reduce expenditure to help stabilise a client’s household circumstances, maintain a home/sustain their tenancy and prevent homelessness.
The provider will aim to up skill clients to ensure that they are aware of their rights in terms of benefit entitlements and budgeting skills going forward - to ensure that they have the skills and confidence to live independently in their home.
3) Advice Gateway
To take the lead role on implementing and evaluating a countywide Advice Gateway (Triage) to improve access to benefit and debt advice services in Flintshire.
To work in close cooperation with Flintshire County Council’s Housing Support Coordinator who operates an equivalent service for clients presenting with housing support needs. This close partnership will ensure all referrals are appropriately allocated for advice or support at the earliest opportunity.
The project aims to ensure that referred clients are directed to the most appropriate advice project.
Assess and identify key information about the referred client’s problem including time limits, key dates and any requirement for urgent advice or action.
Assess and agree the appropriate level of service, taking into consideration the client’s ability to take the next step themselves, the complexity of the problem and the most appropriate resources’.
Refer clients appropriately (both internally and externally) to suit client’s needs following agreed protocols, including making arrangements and informing clients of what to expect.
By working closely with advice and support providers the GDO will ensure referred clients receive prompt appropriate advice and support suitable to their needs.
Establish effective working relationships with Flintshire County Council’s Housing Support Coordinator, to ensure complementary service provision and ensure no duplication.
Encourage the identification of risks and issues and ensure that these are assessed and appropriately managed.
NB; Essential criteria for these roles to ensure the fulfilment the full range of work required. roles are as follows;
• FCA registered
• DRO intermediaries
• TUPE applies |