CAML

Free, independent, impartial & confidential information and advice

  • GET ADVICE
    • Benefits
    • Housing
    • L&Q Pound Advice
    • Money & Debt
    • Universal Credit
    • Self Help Guidance
    • LOCAL >
      • Merton – Disability Welfare Benefits
      • Lambeth – Council Tax
      • Lambeth – Children’s Centres
      • The Wimbledon Guild
      • Lambeth Living Well Service
  • About Us
    • Our Principles and Aims
    • Your Local Advice Charity
    • Join Our Team
    • Campaigning for Change
    • Local Research
    • Staff Team
    • Our Trustees
    • News
    • Our Partners and Funders
  • Support Us
    • Volunteer
    • Different ways to donate
    • Leave a Legacy
    • CAML Fundraising Week 2021
  • Venue Hire
    • Mitcham Office Venue Hire
    • Morden Office Venue Hire
  • CONTACT
    • Advice Contact Form

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week!

9 May 2022

The Money and Mental Health Policy Institute today published The State We’re In https://www.moneyandmentalhealth.org/publications/the-state-were-in/

The report offers a state-of-the-nation snapshot of the financial and mental wellbeing of people across the UK during the pandemic. 

It reveals that during the Covid crisis, people with mental health problems faced a much higher risk of financial hardship compared to the wider population.

Our findings show that during the pandemic people with mental health problems were: 

  • Three times more likely to have fallen into problem debt than the wider population (15% compared to 4%).
  • More than twice as likely to have relied on credit or borrowing to cover every day spending — for example, on food or heating (26% compared to 11%).
  • More likely to have had zero savings to help them cope with emergencies. 1 in 4 people with mental health problems say they have no savings that they could use in emergencies (compared to 18% of the wider population), and nearly half (46%) say they can’t afford to save money regularly.
  • At high risk of considering suicide when behind on payments. 44% of UK adults with mental health problems who fell behind on bills last year either considered or attempted to take their own life. If reflected nationally, that amounts to 2.5m in people in total.

Key recommendations:

  • The government should prioritise tackling the links between debt, mental health problems and suicide in its pandemic recovery plans. The Health Secretary Sajid Javid recently announced plans for a cross government white paper on health prevention and inequalities. Addressing the link between financial difficulty and serious mental health problems should be at the heart of this plan, to give people a better chance of recovering from both.
  • GPs, A&E departments and community mental health services should routinely ask people receiving treatment for mental health problems about their finances, and provide clear signposting pathways in place to assist those who need it. 
  • Banks, energy companies and other essential services providers should proactively identify customers who may be struggling, and improve the support they offer. This could include developing better processes for referring people to debt advice, offering realistic repayment plans, freezing interest and charges, and reviewing decisions on debt collection for customers with mental health problems.

London Borough Elections 2022

26 April 2022

Alongside London Citizens Advice charities, Citizens Advice Merton and Lambeth (CAML) has written to candidates standing in local elections on 5th May asking prospective Councillors to consider how (if elected) they may be able to work with and support the work of advice charities/organisations in their boroughs.

The upcoming local elections provide an opportunity for London boroughs to reflect on the challenges that all boroughs face, and the needs of London residents. As London recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic, Londoners are increasingly impacted by cost of living challenges. As well as creating new and severe issues that drastically affected the quality of Londoners’ lives, the pandemic exacerbated the problems London’s communities have faced for years, namely:
· widening social inequalities both between and within London boroughs
· more people live in poverty in London (28%) compared to the rest of the UK (22%)
· the growing impact of social isolation and digital exclusion

According to the London Poverty Profile, the costs of living in London are 15%-58% higher than the rest of the UK, housing issues are a major driver of poverty in London, and the in-work poverty rate across London is rising. These trends are likely to accelerate as the cost of living crisis continues to impact Londoners.  Citizens Advice across London boroughs have seen a 16% increase in client numbers in the first three months of 2022 compared to final three months of 2021.  Social welfare advice has a vital role to play in economic and social fairness in London.

We are therefore calling on candidates this election to ensure that their boroughs:

1. Maximise their engagement with, and support for, charities and community groups

2. Work to strengthen the capacity of community advice services to address social and financial exclusion in their borough

3. Share best practice so that approaches to commissioning and working with London’s advice agencies are more consistent across

Immigration information for Ukrainians

18 March 2022

With the war in Ukraine,  CAML is sharing this summary of information available for people who need to know about rights for Ukrainian citizens.

Update on Government guidance for Ukrainians and their families

Currently, two different schemes have been announced by the Home Office for Ukrainian refugees fleeing current conflict.

These are:

Ukraine Family Visa

Open to Ukrainians who have a family connection to a UK. To be eligible you will need to:

·         be applying to join or accompany your UK-based family member; and

·         be Ukrainian or the immediate family member of a Ukrainian national who is applying to the scheme; and

·         have been residing in Ukraine on or immediately before 1 January 2022 (including those who have now left Ukraine)

Further information on eligibility and information on how to apply can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-a-ukraine-family-scheme-visa

Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine)

Full information for UK based organisations/households looking to sponsor Ukrainians is now available at:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-scheme-frequently-asked-questions

Applications can be made at:

https://www.gov.uk/register-interest-homes-ukraine

Information for Ukrainians wishing to take part in the Sponsorship Scheme can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-a-visa-under-the-ukraine-sponsorship-scheme

Currently, under stage one, Ukrainians will need to be down a named sponsor.

Ukrainians already in the UK
Ukrainians on work and study routes already in the UK can now:

  • switch into a work or study category, where that would not normally be permitted
  • switch into a family category, even if they have limited leave – for instance as a visitor, or where their leave has recently expired

The Home Secretary’s statement on 1 March announced that these applications will be free of charge. The guidance can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ukrainian-nationals-on-work-and-study-routes-concessions-to-the-immigration-rules

Contact us
CAML provides an Immigration service for Merton and Lambeth residents. 
Email: Immigration@caml.org.uk
Merton Adviceline: 0808 278 7831
Lambeth Adviceline: 0800 254 0298

Lambeth Living Well Service Expanding

17 March 2022

From the start of 2022 Citizens Advice Merton and Lambeth (CAML) and Lambeth Council joined together to provide local community support on priority areas of advice need.

With winter temperatures and rising energy prices our support includes:

Lambeth Household Support Fund
Energy provider comparisons/efficiency
Warm Home Discount
Welfare Benefits
Budgeting
Housing

If you require specialist advice support, our Living Well Advisers will be able to refer you to CAML services or signpost to other organisations.

Suzanne Hudson, CAML Chief Executive, explains “The Lambeth Living Well project provides priority advice support in local communities.  With rising energy prices our current focus includes Winter Warm and energy support.  Dependent on residents need, our focus will adapt throughout the year as will venues/communities we’re based at”.      

We can provide telephone, online and video conferencing support or pop in and chat with us:

Tuesdays – West Norwood Community Shop https://norwoodforum.org/news/24-apr-20/west-norwood-community-shop

Wednesdays – Beth Centre [for clients of Beth Centre only please contact the centre directly]

Thursdays – Lambeth Living Well Bus (various locations https://lambethtogether.net/lambeths-health-and-wellbeing-bus/

Fridays – Lambeth Living Well Bus (various locations https://lambethtogether.net/lambeths-health-and-wellbeing-bus/

Need to contact us?
Ring: Lambeth Adviceline 0800 254 0298 (Freephone, Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm).  Demand for Adviceline support is surging so you may prefer to email Living Well service direct at
Email: lambethlivingwell@caml.org.uk

Financial Wellbeing Free Online Workshop

23 February 2022

Merton Uplift and Social Prescribing Merton will be holding a Financial Wellbeing free online workshop on 7th March 2022, 11.30am-1pm. Details on how to book are specified below:


  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • …
  • 19
  • Next Page »
Merton 0808 278 7831
Lambeth 0800 254 0298
Privacy Notice | Cookie Policy | Make a Complaint
Back to TOP

Citizens Advice Merton and Lambeth is a registered charity (1046018) and a company limited by guarantee (02914384).
Registered office: 7 Crown Parade, Crown Lane, Morden, SM4 5DA. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (617664)
© 2015–2022