By Lee Lazenby, Open Arms Team
A client attended an Open Arms session with an NHS social prescriber who had been made aware of the good work that was done by Open Arms and encouraged to bring clients to the services available. The client had numerous health issues and wanted support / advice from Citizens Advice in relation to benefits to ease financial problems.
During the session it was identified that the client needed adaptations in the household to support the health issues and was given advice on making an assessment and grants available. On checking benefits it was identified that the client had not received full entitlement to disability premiums and that this should have been considered during the claim.
Following our phone call to DWP the client was sent the forms to check entitlement and was awarded £32,000 back payment for arrears of benefit, it was reported that the client was delighted with the news as this has helped his financial pressures. Since then, the NHS social prescriber has told me she will bringing all her clients that need benefit help to the Open Arms service.