“ACB has made one hundred per cent difference; I wouldn’t be like I am now. I’ve got money in the bank, my health’s improved and I feel more confident”
Find out how Age Concern Bristol’s services have helped others
Mr Smith, 65, was bankrupt, unkempt and living on cold tinned food until luck happened to bring him to Age Concern Bristol. Thanks to donations which fund the charity’s vital services, ACB workers have been able to make a difference. Here’s the story behind Mr Smith’s road to recovery.
With his engaging smile and upbeat voice, at first glance it’s hard to believe that Mr Smith has been through the troubles he’s about to describe. But as Mr Smith recounts memories of his life at rock-bottom, his hands twist nervously and his voice becomes shaken.
A divorcee, Mr Smith lived alone yet had a comfortable life. He was a homeowner with a steady job as a driver and worked into his 60s. Then on a visit to a relative one day last year, he was set upon by a gang of muggers. Peter was left with head injuries, a broken ankle and damage to his Achilles tendon.
His employer’s doctor advised him to take 40 weeks’ sick leave so that the damaged ankle and ligaments could heal. “They couldn’t figure out what to do with me so I was paid off and started getting very demoralised, turning to drink. I got it into my head that I’d been put on the scrapheap” Mr Smith explained.
Not long after, a series of letters arrived from the Official Receiver. As Mr Smith is dyslexic, reading and understanding the contents was a near impossible task. “I didn’t know what they were all about,” he said. “I thought, this is serious, what have I done and what have I got to do?”
Mr Smith then discovered that his electricity and gas supplies had been cut off from his home along with water as a result of a huge leak. Unaware that he was also in arrears with his Council Tax, Mr Smith was unable to withdraw money from his bank account – having been declared bankrupt by Bristol City Council. His home was also being repeatedly broken into.
“I felt I couldn’t tell my friends what was happening as I was ashamed and stubborn,” he added. “Some of them visited my house but the neighbours said they thought I’d left – I couldn’t stay in the house for long and walked for hours, sometimes ‘til after midnight. When I was in I’d never sit downstairs but went to bed instead because there were no lights. I had stacks of tinned food but as there was no heating I ate the contents cold, just surviving on one meal a day.”
As his mood and health deteriorated, Mr Smith paused by the waterfront and was tempted to take his life. He only stopped because he remembered seeing a body being pulled out of the river – and thought about the affect on his grandson.
Getting in touch with Age Concern Bristol was, Mr Smith says, “a matter of luck”. A meeting with the Receiver in June took him past ACB’s offices on Victoria Street. “I just stood outside the building and wondered if they could give me a bit of advice,” he said. Concerned about the urgency of Mr Smith’s situation, an Information and Advice worker phoned up on Mr Smith’s behalf and successfully delayed the appointment.
Several days later Mr Smith brought all his paperwork into Age Concern Bristol and the Information and Advice Service investigated his financial status. It was discovered that he was entitled to Council Tax benefit and a 25% discount for living alone, reducing his debt to £250 from more than £1000. ACB accompanied Mr Smith at a court hearing and advocated on his behalf, where it was found that Bristol City Council had failed to notify Mr Smith that he was behind in his payments, resulting in an annulment of the bankruptcy order in September.
Age Concern Bristol’s efficiency and desire to help didn’t cease there. When Mr Smith mentioned having a private work pension but not understanding how to access his money, the Information and Advice Worker helped him fill out the relevant claim forms. Unfortunately Mr Smith’s dyslexia meant he didn’t realise that the quotes needed to be brought to ACB within a specific time and application time limits were missed. With Mr Smith’s consent, the Advice Worker spoke directly to the pension provider and all paperwork was dealt with directly by ACB’s Information and Advice Service. In March of this year all the pensions were sorted out and paid into Mr Smith’s newly created bank account.
ACB’s Practical Services also got involved, turning their attention to Mr Smith’s house which was by now unfit for habitation. As a temporary measure they made the doors more secure, adding locks to deter thieves who had repeatedly stolen some highly personal possessions. Also aided by the Housing Support Service, Mr Smith was then able to move into a housing association flat in a safer area while the friends who learnt of his plight came forward to offer furniture.
Committed to empowering older people, ACB will continue to work with Mr Smith on financial know-how, until they are sure that he understands how to budget so that he can pay all outgoing bills and sell his former home at auction.
Emotional support was consistently given too. “The Age Concern Bristol team are lovely people,” said Mr Smith, who dropped by for a chat with volunteers whenever he needed a morale boost. “I’d like to volunteer for them someday as they’ve done so much for me that I want to give something back. ACB has made one hundred per cent difference; I wouldn’t be like I am now. I’ve got money in the bank, my health’s improved and I feel more confident.” His main wish is that the government would give older people better pensions, especially individuals living on their own. For now, the smiles breaking over Mr Smith’s face are testimony to ACB’s success and his own determination to enjoy his future.
ACB is committed to ensuring that older people continue to be full members of society with equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities. As a local, independent charity they rely almost totally on donations from local people to run their diverse services, which can make a massive difference to peoples’ lives.
If you are over 55 and concerned about debt, contact ACB’s Information and Advice Service for free, confidential advice Tel: 0117 9225353. To make a donation, you can call 0117 929 7537 or visit www.ageconcernbristol.org.uk.
Sarah Box