Lend a Hand project (360G-SCVO-a0gb000001KQePBAA1)

We are looking to add to the capacity of the People First Fraserburgh Lend a Hand project by increasing the hours of the project welfare rights officer from 18 hours to 28 hours a week to enable her to support more people with a learning disability who are having problems claiming their correct benefit entitlement and also work with them and partner organisationshis to build up understanding and relationships that would increase the likelihood of earlier referrals. We started this project in May of last year, since when it has supported 32 people with a learning disability claim their correct entitlement and helped them recover a surprising average of £6,553.23 per client. However, we are finding that, as the project becomes better known and the impact of the benefit changes increases, more people need the service than the project can currently cater for. With more hours the welfare rights officer could conduct more benefits checks, help make more benefit applications and support more people at reviews and appeals. The project will continue to be based in the comfortable People First drop in where the welfare rights officer has her own office. The Lend a Hand service is open to anyone with a learning disability living in Fraserburgh and the surrounding district.