| What's new IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT CHANGES TO THE ANGLIAN WATER TRUST FUND FROM 1 DECEMBER 2007 affecting customers of Anglian Water and Hartlepool Water (customers of Cambridge Water, Tendring Hundred Water and Three Valleys Water will not be affected by the changes described).
The Anglian Water Trust Fund exists for the relief of vulnerable people living within the Anglian Water and Hartlepool Water regions. The key aim of the Trust is to make a significant and sustainable improvement to the quality of life of its beneficiaries.
Trustees have been happy with the work and progress of the Trust during the eleven years since its launch in 1996. However, in response to increasing demand for funds and to ensure that maximum impact is achieved with the funds available, Trustees felt the time had come to review their policies for future grant-making.
Trustees have found that, to date, whilst the Trust has helped clear the immediate debt for thousands of vulnerable people living within the Anglian Water and Hartlepool Water regions, some grants have not introduced the long term financial stability into recipients’ lives that the Trust has been aiming for. This has been evidenced by recent statistics from Anglian Water showing that after 6 months 45% of awardees are back in debt.
Trustees are therefore introducing changes to the Trust’s policies in an attempt to improve the effectiveness of assisting beneficiaries achieve financial stability. For instance, Trustees are aware that many applicants could benefit from lower charges if they were to consider a range of special tariff options offered by their utilities companies. We are therefore keen to encourage liaison with Anglian Water and Hartlepool Water and energy providers to ensure applicants are on the most economical tariff for their household. In addition customers may find payment of their utility bills by Direct Debit a much more convenient way to make payments saving them from having to post cheques or visit their local Post Office, Bank or Paypoint outlet to pay over the counter and also helps the customer with their monthly budgeting. By doing this Trustees believe they will be able to increase the impact of grants made by the Trust.
Changes to the Anglian Water Trust Fund will commence on 1 December 2007 and a new application form must be used from that date. Applications under the current system will be accepted until 16 November 2007 and will continue to be processed under the current system. Only new style applications will be accepted after 16 November and will be dealt with under the conditions of the new system.
What are the changes?
From 1st December 2007, in order to be considered for an award from the Anglian Water Trust Fund, applicants will be required to demonstrate their commitment to improving their own personal financial sustainability, i.e. the intention to pay current and future costs on an ongoing basis. They will do this by signing the declaration on the new application form and by showing that they are able to make payments on their accounts for current water and sewerage charges.
Assessment of an application will remain unchanged and be carried out by the same team of experienced Grants Assessors at Charis Grants. Successful applicants will be notified that the Trust is minded to make an award (to the value of the debt outstanding at that time) but that the award is dependent on the applicant being able to demonstrate a commitment to future sustainability over the following six months. (Please note that we will also inform you if a ‘provisional’ award is made to your client for whom you have submitted an application. We will then correspond with the applicant directly.)
A commitment from the applicant to reducing their future water bills and also starting to pay their current charges while their application is being dealt with will indicate to the Trust that an applicant is taking active steps to achieve and maintain financially stability in relation to this aspect of their financial lives. Steps that could be taken include the following.
Six months after the provisional award has been made, a review will be undertaken to establish whether or not the applicant has taken credible steps to achieve financial sustainability taking into account their unique circumstances. It is hoped that the Trust will then be able to pay the award in full. However if it is judged that the applicant is not taking credible steps to achieve financial stability the provisional grant will be withdrawn on the grounds that there is insufficient evidence that this is leading to the improvement to financial sustainability anticipated at the time that the provisional award was made. The applicant will be informed of the final Trust’s decision after 6 months and so will you.
Further Assistance Payments (FAPs) There will be no change to the way that FAPs are assessed and awarded however please note that the amount available for the payment of FAP bankruptcy payments is very limited. Applications may have to be declined because funds are not available. Trustees will keep this issue under review.
Applications from customers of Cambridge Water, Tendring Hundred Water and Three Valleys Water Because of the smaller numbers of potential recipients involved the customers of Cambridge Water, Tendring Hundred Water and Three Valleys Water will not be affected by the changes described above.
What next? It is our intention to send out revised application forms to CABx and other advice agencies within the Anglian Water and Hartlepool Water regions week commencing 29 October. Or these can be requested in the usual way – see the ‘Contacting us’ section on this site. Please remember only revised applications will be accepted after 16 November 2007.
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