Many thanks to the Postcode Places Trust for funding our Max Your Money! project, which finished at the end of April. With this funding, we've been able to support over 600 people in and around the Staveley area. On average we saw each person three times and spent over an hour with them, giving support mainly on benefit claims and appeals - most often Personal Independence Payment, Universal Credit, and Attendance Allowance. We represented clients at 54 appeals tribunals, gaining £344,544 for mostly elderly people or those with disabilities and health conditions. This was in the form of lump sum gains from tribunals and additional weekly payments through the gaining and restoration of benefits.
Our worker spoke at luncheon clubs, older people's forums and hosted events targeted towards older people in the area. Where we couldn't resolve an issue, we were able to make contact with councillors and MPs on their behalf. Many older people struggle with remote access to services, so this funding made a significant difference to our reach within this community - we've enjoyed running the project and hope to build on the links we've made.