Contents
1. Home - Money
and Community Support Service home page
2. More about MACS - More information about MACS
3. History - The history of the organisation
4. Projects - The Asylum Seekers Project
& Refugee Advice Project
5. Referrals - How to make a referral for the casework service
6. Donations - How to make donations
7. Volunteering - Becoming a volunteer with MACS
8. Links - Useful and relevant links to other sites
1. Home
What is MACS?
Money Advice and Community Support Service (MACS) is a registered charity
governed by a board of volunteer Trustees. Our charitable objectives are
to provide advice counsel and assistance according to the needs of people
in Sussex who are having difficulty managing their financial affairs due
to illness, poverty or old age. Also to make such representations on their
behalf as are relevant to these objectives. We provide confidential and
impartial advice and carry out casework for referred
clients on debt and benefit issues.
Our Mission Statement
Money Advice and Community Support Service provides a high quality, confidential
and impartial service to help people to manage their money successfully.
Our service is available to residents of Sussex and provides practical help
including cash handling and welfare benefit and debt advice work. The service
is tailored to the needs of the individual and aims to help people enhance
their independence, particularly within the community.
Services
MACS current services are a telephone Advice Line, casework, the
Asylum Seekers Project and the Refugee Advice Project.
For more information about these services, go to More
About MACS.
2. More about MACS
Casework Service
The casework service provides specialist welfare benefit advice, casework
and representation and specialist debt advice, casework and representation.
This service is available to residents of Sussex who are referred to us by
professionals who are working on their behalf (i.e. Social Services). Funding
is required to take on a client under the casework service. See Referrals
for more information on referring a client onto the casework service.
If there is no funding available, advice can be obtained through MACS Advice
Line.
The casework service helps people maintain independence when they have problems
coping with money matters due to health and/or social difficulties. For example:
• Mental Ill Health
•
Learning Disability
•
Physical Disability
•
Substance Misuse
•
Being housebound due to infirmity
What can MACS help with?
•
Benefit entitlements, claims, reviews and appeals
•
Debt advice and negotiating with creditors
•
Advice and assistance with budgeting money
•
Applications to Charities
•
Organising the purchase of household items
•
Liasing with other organisations
•
Accessing other services
This service can include a unique facility we call money-handling where we
can receive income on our client's behalf and distribute it to pay bills.
MACS case service is tailored to the needs of individuals and can range from
offering advice and filling in benefit claim forms to money-handling and
visiting the client at home to deliver their money. Our service is:
• Confidential
• Impartial
• Free to the service user
Appointees
MACS is recognised as a corporate appointee by the Benefits Agency. This allows
MACS to receive Social Security benefits for people who are unable to do this
themselves and MACS can act on their behalf.
Advice Line
Advice Line
A specialist welfare benefit and debt advice telephone line is available to the
general public. This service is impartial and confidential. The Advice Line is
also used to discuss how to refer a client to the casework service and any other
services that may assist them.
Telephone: 01273 664040
Mondays 10.00am - 12.00
Thursdays 10.00am - 12.00
Our Core Values
Throughout our work we will:
•
Be fully committed to the active promotion of good equal opportunities practice
•
Provide a service which is free of direct cost to the client
•
Seek to achieve the highest possible standards in everything we do
•
Acknowledge people's dignity and privacy and treat all people with courtesy and
respect at all times
•
Be open transparent and accountable
•
Work in ways to enhance people's capacity to regain control of their financial
situation
•
Work to ensure a solid reputation and secure financial basis for the organisation
which will enable us to meet our objectives
3. History of MACS
1872 - Formation of the Brighton Mendicity Society. This becomes
part of the Charity Organisation Society in Brighton
1922 - Around this time, the Charity Organisation Society transforms into the Social
Service Centre, part of which was the Family Casework Department
1970 - An Act of Parliament requires every local authority to
set up a Social Services Department. Around this time Brighton Social Service
Centre forms the basis of Brighton Social Services
1972 - Brighton Community and Voluntary Service becomes the
umbrella organisation for many organisations, including the Family Casework Department,
which becomes known as Money Advice and Casework Service
1995 - Money Advice and Casework Service become independent
from the CVS, becoming an independent charity and incorporated company, and changes
names to Money Advice and Community Support Service (MACS)
1997 - MACS moves to Community Base in the centre of Brighton
1998 - The Asylum Seekers Project is established and MACS begin
working with a major new client group
2003- Refugee Advice
Project is established and MACS began working with another new client
group.
2004- MACS moves to 24 Old Steine, Brighton.
Refugee Services
Westminster Judgement Project
01273 664018
We assist people on behalf of Brighton and Hove City Council who have outstanding claims for asylum and who are not entitled to work or to claim benefits. Many of these people have suffered extreme ordeals and need support to help them while they are waiting for a decision.
Refugee Advice
Project
01273 664066
People who have been granted permission to live in this country are given advice, advocacy and support to integrate fully into the community of Brighton and Hove. By helping people develop their potential they can contribute to the cultural and economic life of the city. This project is funded by The Big Lottery.
Refugee
Mentoring Project
01273 664021
The project's main aim is to facilitate integration of refugees who live in the Brighton, Hove and surrounding areas. The project works by matching refugees, (mentees) with volunteer mentors to give them support and encouragement as they settle down into their new communities. Mentors offer guidance, encouragement, sign-posting and help mentees to achieve their goals in education, employment and integration.
Volunteer mentors receive training on the project's aims, mentoring and issues around refugees. Also there is ongoing support for enrolled volunteers from the project co-ordinator.
Mentees receive training on the projects aims, significance of mentoring and how they benefit from the project. Ongoing support is provided by weekly drop-in.
Call the project co-ordinator on 01273 664021 for more information or go to www.timetogether.org.uk to register online.
macs-plus
macs-plus
01273 664016
macs-plus is a social enterprise which offers a low-cost solution to problems encountered by those who need help to manage their day-to-day money matters successfully.
macs-plus can hold capital and receive income and then use it to help with budgeting, paying bills, assist with saving and to help make purchases. The primary aim of the service is to empower people and ensure they retain their independence. To enable vulnerable people and their relatives to access a service currently only available through social services.
5. Referrals
How to Make A Referral - A Guide for Assessment Staff:
Who can be referred?
People who have had a Social Care Assessment or Mental Health CPA and require
a service such as ours.
How to make a referral
Telephone 01273 664000 and ask to
speak to the person who is dealing with referrals.
After making a referral, a Care plan and Risk Assessment should be faxed on
01273 664001. We can then add the client to our waiting list.
What happens next?
The client will be placed
on a waiting list to be allocated to one of our Money Support Workers. When
MACS is in a position to start work, you will be contacted and advised of
the actual start date.
Whilst on the waiting list
If the situation changes (i.e. becomes more urgent) please contact MACS again
to update us of the situation.
We can also give telephone advice on the Advice Line 01273 664040 (Mondays and Thursdays 10-12) for anyone on the waiting list to offer advice whilst they are waiting for our service.
Due to a change in funding from individual funding agreements to a block contract with Supporting People, a client has to close on this contract before a new client from the waiting list can be opened. We, therefore, would appreciate your patience waiting for clients to be seen and do all we can to ensure clients waiting for our service are seen as soon as practically possible.
If clients are self-funding, we can see them under
macs-plus or if they only require very short-term
casework or advice we can allocate them under The Big Lottery or FIF projects
if they meet the criteria. Please contact the person on Referrals to discuss
further.
6. Donations
MACS is a registered charity and a non-profit organisation. Donations assist
our organisation by ensuring we can continue the service we provide to vulnerable
people in the community.
Money
Financial donations can be sent to help MACS continue the valuable work done
within the community. Cheques can be made payable to MACS and sent to
MACS
24 Old Steine
Brighton
East Sussex
BN1 1EL
Financial donations can also be made specifically to benefit Asylum Seekers.
These donations cover travel costs to pursue asylum applications, warm clothes,
toiletries and other necessities.
Legacies
By leaving a legacy in your will, MACS can continue to provide this essential
service for our clients. If you are interested in leaving a legacy, please obtain
more information from our manager on 01273 664000.
Membership
Membership is open to any person and any organisation. By becoming a member of
the organisation, you can show your support for the work that MACS does. As a
member you would be invited to attend and to vote at our Annual General Meeting
(AGM) and take an active interest in the continuing success of MACS.
As a sign of commitment to MACS, a small fee will be payable. Request a leaflet
for more information or contact us.
7. Volunteering Opportunities
Volunteering for MACS
Becoming a volunteer at MACS helps us assist those in need in the community.
Our volunteers provide a valuable service to our organisation. Our volunteers
gain experience working with clients and as part of a charity.
If you understand the importance of client confidentiality and have at least
a few hours to spare a month then MACS would like to hear from you. We can offer
excellent job satisfaction that makes a real difference to the lives of people
in the community.
In return for your commitment, you would receive training and support for any
tasks you may be interested in.
What tasks can a volunteer do?
There are various tasks available for volunteers. These include:
Driving staff to clients' homes
Fundraising
Development work - i.e. assisting with marketing, publicity, etc.
Assisting with the projects
General administration
Doing research for MACS and for products for clients
And much more…
Contact MACS for further information and a leaflet about volunteering at MACS.
How to become a volunteer
Write to MACS giving brief details on how you feel you could contribute to MACS
and what you would like to gain from your experience as a volunteer.
You can contact us on 01273 664000 to discuss the volunteering opportunities
further.
Volunteers would be subject to a Criminal Records Check due to working amongst
vulnerable people.
Trustees
MACS trustees are valuable volunteers who use their experience and skills to
help develop and manage the organisation. Trustees are elected by members at
the Annual General Meeting (AGM).
If you have think that you could benefit MACS in a trustee capacity, then contact
us either by writing to MACS or telephone 01273 66400.
8. Useful Links
Asylum Aid
Provide free advice and representation
Tel: 0207 3775123
www.asylumaid.org.uk
Brighton and Hove City Council Site
Council tax information and complaints
www.brighton-hove.gov.uk
Business Debtline
Tel: 0800 197 6026
www.birminghamsettlement.org.uk
Community Legal Service
Directory of agencies providing legal advice
Tel: 0845 608 1122
www.justask.org.uk
Court Service
www.courtservice.gov.uk
Dept for Work and Pensions
Information about benefits
www.dwp.gov.uk
Disability Benefits Enquiry Line
Tel: 0800 88 22 00
Disability Living Foundation
Information on disability equipment
Tel: 0845 130 9177
www.dlf.org.uk
Disability Rights Commission
Tel: 08457 622 633
www.drc-gb.org
Financial Ombudsmen Schemes
www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Immigration Advisory Service
www.iasuk.org
Joint Council for the Welfare Of Immigrants
Publications, press releases and advice
www.jcwi.org.uk
Local Information
www.upmystreet.com
Lone Parent Helpline
Tel: 0800 0185026
www.loneparentshelpline.info
Mind
Information and support on mental health problems
Tel: 0845 7660 163
www.mind.org.uk
National Aids Helpline
Tel: 0800 012322 -
www.aidshelpline.org.za
National CAB website
www.citizensadvice.org.uk
National Debtline
Free confidential telephone advice
Tel: 0808 8084000
www.nationaldebtline.co.uk
New Deal For Lone Parents
Tel: 0800 868868
www.newdeal.gov.uk
Office of Fair Trading
Tel: 0845 7224499
www.oft.gov.uk
Parliamentary Ombudsman
Complaints regarding Government Departments
Tel: 0845 0154033
www.ombudsman.org.uk
Pension Credits Line
Tel: 0800 991 234
Refuge
Domestic Violence
Tel: 0870 599 5443
Rights Of Women
Legal Advice for Women
Tel: 0207 2516577
www.rightsofwomen.org.uk
Shelter line
Tel: 0808 8004444
www.shelter.org.uk
Tax Credits Helpline
Tel: 0845 3009000
www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk
