Curo News

Curo’s in house Money Advice Service – life changing!

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 10:26:31 Z

Curo customer Stephanie (not her real name) shares her experience of using Curo’s Money Advice Service. When Stephanie got in touch she was living on her own in a two-bedroom house, unable to work due to her health and getting into debt.

I got involved with the Money Advice Service at Curo, as I was struggling to pay the bedroom tax and fell into rent arrears. I had also fallen behind with my utilities.

I was unable to come to Curo’s office for an appointment but was quickly reassured that a home visit could be arranged. At my money advice appointment, I was made aware of applications that could help me with my water bills such as the WaterHelp scheme, and Discretionary Housing Payments which could pay towards my rent arrears.

Once the appointment was over, Curo’s money advisor, Sam, gave me an action plan based on what we’d agreed. In the plan were things I needed to do and tasks Curo would carry out for me. Everything I told Sam was completely confidential which put me at ease. She was very friendly and non-judgemental, which was important to me, as I felt embarrassed about my situation.

With my ill health, Sam advised me to apply for Personal Independent Payment, sickness benefit and Universal Credit with a ‘Limited Capability for Work’. We did a benefit calculation to estimate what I could be entitled to, which was surprisingly quick and easy.

Once Universal Credit was agreed we could then apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment to help with my arrears and the bedroom tax for a period. Sam helped me with the claims and submitted them on my behalf. You must have an assessment for some sickness benefits, and Sam attended and assisted me with this appointment, which was a great relief.

I completed all my actions for Sam, and she kept in touch with me throughout with offers of help, support and reassurance.

The outcome was amazing. My Discretionary Housing Payment was awarded to clear the full amount of my arrears.

My water application was successful for Restart and Assist [Wessex Water payments schemes]. I had to pay a token payment of £1 per month and the balance of my water debt would be written off at the end of the 24-month plan.

My Personal Independent Payment was awarded after the assessment and I received a back payment to the date I called for the form, over £1,400 (approximately 21 weeks).

My Limited Capability for Work claim was awarded after a 23-month wait for an assessment due to Covid-19, and I was paid a backdated payment of over £7,000.

With Sam’s expertise, she maximised my income by over £600 per month. This meant that I could pay the bedroom tax to avoid any further arrears. I was also offered help if I wanted to downsize to a one-bedroomed property. Curo have a great service called Passport to Housing [to prepare for a successful home move], which I said I would consider.

I can’t thank Sam at Curo enough. I would never have been able to do this without her. It’s changed my life for the better.

If you have money worries, or think you might be entitled to any benefits, pick up the phone and speak to Curo’s Customer Accounts team on 01225 366000 or email customeraccountshelp@curo-group.co.uk

Many benefits go unclaimed every year, and some passport you to help with your rent and Council Tax. It’s your right to claim. What have you got to lose?

No Mow May: A neighbour's view

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 09:19:02 Z

This spring Curo took part in the nationwide No Mow May initiative. No Mow May encourages people to give their lawnmowers a rest for the month and allow the grasses to grow and wildflowers to bloom. Guy Hodgson, who lives at Southlands in Bath, shares his reflections on the impact of No Mow May on Southlands Green and the biodiversity he spotted this year.

The long period without mowing during the first 2020 lockdown showed the variety of seeds contained within Southlands Green. In 2021 'No Mow May' has been trialled to experiment with strategies to increase biodiversity whilst keeping the visual appearance and recreational use of the Green in keeping with the preferences of maintenance levy payers.

The results

In a nutshell the reduced mowing allowed more species of plant to emerge and for them to flower for longer periods. The flowers are dominated by white and yellow varieties. These are important during early spring and they provide food for invertebrates prior to many other plants coming into flower.

Above: The Green as of 2 June - left side 'no mow' area, right side mown.

Visual difference

Although the vegetation is somewhat longer, shorter grasses still dominate. Perhaps what is most noticeable is the proliferation of meadow buttercups which are a relatively tall variety. This can be clearly seen in the photo below.

The length of grass might not be acceptable to people on their front lawns, but on a communal space which is distinctly separate from homes, it does not look incongruous (though a matter of opinion of course).

Meadow Buttercup have been particularly apparent.

Recreational use

As the trial only applied to part of the Green, it is hard to comment exactly. The unmown area does not hinder walking, playing or dog walking. A football would roll rather slower compared to a mown area. This could actually be a benefit at the bottom of the Green as it might prevent balls rolling into the road.

For only a four-week period it would not appear to be a problem. It is notable that Bath & north East Somerset (B&NES) Council have left the Weston Rec, including the football pitches, unmown for all of May.

Were the 'no mow' period to be extended, thought would need to be given to how recreation can continue, ie maintain regular mowing on a portion thorough-out.

For those sensitive to hay-fever from grass mowing, a reduced mowing schedule can be a relief but it is a 'catch 22' in so far as more pollen may be present.

Plant species- mown and unmown areas

Dandelion
Creeping butter cup
Daisy
White clover
Variety of grasses

Plant species - unmown areas only

Red clover (a very important source of food)
Meadow buttercup
Bulbous buttercup
Common mouse ear
Bucks horn plantain
Ribwort plantain
Various vetches
Tormentail

Yet to flower (as of 2 June):

Oxeye daisy
Cransbill
Ladies bed straw
Hawkbit
Almost all clovers

Bird species observations

Goldfinch
Starling (conservation status amber)
Green woodpecker
Jackdaw
Wagtail
Wood pigeon
Rock dove (feral pigeon)
Blackbird

Goldfinch particularly enjoyed the unmown area as they like small seeds such as those on dandelion heads.

Green woodpeckers particularly enjoy ants and again they focussed on the uncut areas.

Wagtail may have been attracted by the increase in insect levels.

Starling, jackdaw, blackbird and pigeon seemed equally happy browsing both the mown and unmown areas.

Insect observations

These are far more challenging to do. Honey bees and other bee varieties have been observed particularly on dandelion heads. There are doubtless many other things feasting on the extra food but many are very small (like small blue beetles) and I cannot name them all!

The weather has affected caterpillars a lot this year, so it is hard to judge the benefit to butterflies.

Blue butterfly were observed in 2020. White butterfly have been observed in 2021.

Conclusions and looking ahead

One thing to consider is there are some plants yet to flower (such as the oxeye daisy, hawkbit and most clovers). A longer no-mow period would probably result in further diversity.

Another is that shorter stemmed flowers will still prosper in mown areas where the cut is not too tight. The exact length would require some research, but it is probably between 50 and 100mm. This length may not be appropriate for front gardens, but may be more readily accepted on communal spaces.

One benefit of longer vegetation from a visual point of view is that it appears more drought resilient. Thus it remains green during long dry spells rather than going yellow as can be the case with short grasses. Long hot and dry spells are becoming increasingly common.

Above: drought stressed grass is not particularly attractive

A possibility for next year is to leave the whole perimeter of Southlands Green un-mown and just mow a large circular area into the middle.

There is also a smaller pocket of communal land adjacent to the Green which could be used for a longer trial of no-mowing. It could even be grown as a meadow, with the resulting hay collected and sold as animal food or for bio-digestion. B&NES Council have invested in equipment to enable this in the wildflower areas of the Weston Rec.

Plantlife publish several good guides to verge management which set out various mowing options. They are very applicable areas such as Southlands Green.

It is great that Curo is looking at this. The 'green estate' is extensive and thus has great potential to boost biodiversity at a time when it is urgently needed. I hope the scheme can expand to more of Southlands next year as this will increase the benefits.

We'd love to hear your thoughts about No Mow May and how we can maintain your grounds while giving nature a helping hand. Get in touch on Facebook or Twitter, or email us at estates@curo-group.co.uk
Check the grass-cutting schedules for your neighbourhood, and see a map of your estate here.
Like nature? Why not enter our Curo in Bloom competition?

Planning for summer floods

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 15:44:16 Z

Sally Alvey is Schemes Manager for Thistle Tenant Risks, who administer the National Housing Federation ‘My Home Contents Insurance Scheme’. Here she shares some tips to help tenants plan for summer floods

Here in the UK we know that over the summer months we can go from hot glorious sunshine to horrendous downpours and flooding. Here are few steps on how to plan ahead of a flood:

Maintaining your property

Keeping up with general maintenance such as clearing drains and gullies of debris could help prevent overflowing.

Take out home contents insurance

Make sure you consider home contents insurance to protect your home contents and belongings.

Find out where you can get help

Areas prone to flooding may already have flood groups and community hubs where you can find food, clothing, shelter and advice during a flood. Some areas have community flood wardens - volunteers who monitor a specific local area and inform its residents when flooding is likely.

What to do if you get a flood warning?

A flood warning means you must take immediate action when flooding is expected, which could mean:

Moving vehicles to higher ground if it is safe to do so.
Moving the family and pets to safety.
Moving important items that you can’t easily take away with you upstairs or to a safe place your property, starting with cherished items and valuables, then furniture and furnishings.
Turn off gas, electricity and water supplies if it’s safe to do so; never touch an electrical switch if you’re standing in water.
If you have property protection products such as flood barriers, or air brick covers, use them now.

Click here for more information and useful tips.

Please remember you are responsible for replacing your home contents and belongings. Could you afford to replace your furniture and personal possessions if you were to suffer a flood?

Contact us

To find out more about the National Housing Federation’s My Home Contents Insurance scheme, which was designed for tenants in social housing, and to cover you against damage caused by floods and storms. You can pay premiums in cash fortnightly or monthly, monthly by direct debit or annually and upgrade cover if required. Fortnightly and monthly premiums include a transaction charge.
Phone: 0345 450 7288
Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm
Email: myhome@thistleinsurance.co.uk

Passport to independence

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 12:13:55 Z

Our Passport to Housing service is a free and confidential service offered by Curo to help people bidding for homes through Bath & North East Somerset's Homesearch scheme to prepare for a successful Curo tenancy and plan for the expense of moving home. Read about one resident's recent experience with Passport to Housing here:

South Gloucestershire Council referred me to Curo’s Passport to Housing to get help preparing for my own tenancy whilst I was living in temporary accommodation. I suffer with depression and anxiety, and I felt very overwhelmed when I started working with Ali. She called me to explain the service and I felt able to tell her my story; to share with her the series of traumatic life events that had resulted in me losing my home, and my employment, and how this had impacted my mental health.

We worked at my pace, identifying all my debts and we agreed a plan together. She supported me with setting up a debt management plan with Stepchange and encouraged me to make calls to those creditors I felt able to, setting up joint calls to those creditors that I felt I needed help to speak to. This helped me to feel more confident in making decisions myself.

I was on Universal Credit but did not have any additional financial support, as I was not well enough to work. Ali helped me to contact my doctor to get a fit note and led to me getting some extra money in my Universal Credit, because I am unwell.

She spoke to me about applying for Personal Independence Payment and explained how to do this, helping to write the application form with me. The claim was successful, and I received a backdate payment to the date that I ordered the form. I was absolutely delighted as this helped me to tackle some of my debts.

She worked closely with my mental health support worker so that I felt that they were both helping me to move forward to my goal of having my own home.

When I was allocated a property, she spoke to the housing association about my financial and personal circumstances, forwarding evidence to support my application, so that I didn’t have to keep repeating all the things that had happened to me in my life. Also, when I was told I had a flat, she applied for grants to help me set up a home, as I had nothing. She helped me to get a bed, some furniture and some kitchen items including a fridge.

She kept in contact with me regularly and even after I moved, she helped me to get a cooker, which I had not been able to afford. I have found Passport to Housing so helpful.

Call us on 01225 366000 or email hello@curo-group.co.uk if you think Passport to Housing might work for you.

Community heroes: Making face shields for key workers

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 10:53:06 Z

Curo resident Maya Wolf (pictured above with her handiwork) explains how she and a friend decided to put their talents, time and resources to work by making hundreds of face shields for people on the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic:

In mid-March, seeing all my freelance work being cancelled, I began making face shields. They have gone to pharmacists, doctors’ surgeries, care homes, home care workers, hospices, midwives, hospitals and others.

When my materials began to run low, with a friend and colleague, we fundraised enough money to buy sufficient materials to produce another 800 face shields. We split the materials (with her in Bristol, me in Bath) and continued to make and distribute these shields to whoever needed them.

As time has gone on other people have set up much larger-scale productions of face shields and other PPE. Now, when I deliver shields to people who request them, I include information about where else they may access more if needed.

In this way I intend to scale down my production and redirect my efforts, to a place where it can be of equal if not more use. I’m presently considering the options.

I don't think of my efforts as being heroic. To me they are a normal, compassionate response to the situation I witnessed around me and my natural reaction to help in any way I could. This for me, as a self-employed artist and maker, was to use the time and materials I had to hand, to help protect the public-facing people I saw around me, who sorely lacked PPE.

Self-employed community artist, Maya Wolf has been a Curo resident since 1998. She has worked on the Bath Lantern Procession, as an artist, when it was based at the Holburne Museum, and as a co-director and artist for the two years that it was based in Walcot Street. Maya is also co-organiser of the Bath Lantern Procession which is scheduled to take place in December this year.

www.wolfworks.co.uk

Instagram @mayawolfworks

Pictured: One of Maya's spectacular lantern creations.

How Passport to Housing changed my life

Fri, 25 Oct 2019 11:31:36 Z

Although not a Curo resident at the time, Joanne was referred to Curo's Passport to Housing service so she could get support to move home having been affected by the 'bedroom tax'. Joanne (pictured on the left with Curo Customer Advisor Debbie) shared her story with us:

I needed to move. My son moved out and that meant I was affected by the bedroom tax. On top of that, the property I was living in was unsuitable because of my health. I couldn’t deal with the stairs and I wasn’t able to get out as regularly as I would have liked. I felt trapped in my own home.

Because of my health I had to leave my job and that affected my income and triggered a claim for Universal Credit. I didn’t know where to start.

I was put in touch with Reach’s ‘floating support’ team. They helped me with budgeting, bills and my general finances since losing my income, and it was Jerry at Reach who referred me to Passport to Housing.

It was such a relief to have help and support. I quickly realised there are agencies out there who are happy to help and that don’t judge you.

My first appointment was booked with Debbie from Curo’s Passport to Housing service. Straight away she put me at ease and explained what she could do to help. I can get stressed in certain situations, but Debbie was open and friendly. Discussing personal information like finances can be embarrassing but I felt unjudged and very relaxed.

We worked out an action plan which detailed what I needed to do and what Debbie would do to get the ball rolling and get me ready to move. Debbie helped me apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment to cover the bedroom tax. This meant I didn’t run up any further rent arrears. She also helped me reduce the deductions from my Universal Credit, so I had more disposable income.

My biggest worry was the rent I owed and Debbie was also able to help with that. She made an application to St John’s Foundation who agreed to clear the arrears. It felt so good having someone on my side who knew exactly what to do – she made me feel confident. I knew I no longer had to bury my head in the sand because my problems were getting sorted and I could see light at the end of the tunnel.

Once my finances were sorted it was time to think about my move. I really wanted to be near my family for support but would have moved anywhere. I was so desperate for a better quality of life and to be able to get out and about rather than being isolated in my home because of the stairs. I was bidding on anything that came up on Homesearch because I thought I had to. Debbie explained that this wasn’t the case and that made me relax and stopped me panicking about moving.

I was overjoyed when I was selected for a one-bedroomed bungalow near to my family. As soon as I walked into the property I knew it was the right property at the right time for me, I was so eager to move in. Debbie also secured a payment from Welfare Support to help with my removal costs. I couldn’t believe it.

Very soon the property felt like home: it’s peaceful, I have lovely neighbours who always speak when they see me, checking I’m OK. It’s a proper community!

I would highly recommend Passport to Housing. They will help and support you, so go for it! It can be a big step to take but you won’t regret it, they’ll be on your side. I wasn’t even a Curo customer and was still able to access the service. I now feel so much better in myself.

Thanks to Debbie at Curo and Jerry at DHI Reach along with all the other agencies involved. You have changed my life for the better.

Find out more about Curo's Passport to Housing service.