We have been extremely busy adjusting our working practices in line with our changes introduced by the LSC from October 2007. Out funding arrangements have been changed to Unified Contracts, which now involves a fived fee scheme. Prior to the Unified Contract we were paid at an hourly rate for the work we did under the contract.

We also recently had Peer Reviews carried out in all three contract areas. We are pleased that we achieved Competence Level Plus 2 in Welfare Benefits and Level 3 in Debt. We are still awaiting the results in our Housing contract but are hoping for a positive outcome. Some of the feedback we received from the Peer Review included ‘the complex inter-relationship of benefits and in particular income related benefits … crucial to good welfare benefits advice…’ and ‘the advisers displaying an excellent knowledge of the legal criteria for disability benefits…’.