2018 will be the 34th year that the Disability Advice Service (East Suffolk) has been open offering advice and support to people in Suffolk Coastal.
In 2018…
- We supported our clients to gain an additional £2,053,424 in benefits
- The service advised 1,229 clients
- We had 6,058 enquiries in total during the year
- We won 68 of 81 appeals cases where a decision was reached (84%), and dealt with a massive 218 appeals throughout the year! Approximately 50 cases have been carried over into 2019
- We were awarded £301, 210 over three years by the National Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund
- We gave £5,389 as small grants to individuals
- We continued our partnership with the Multiple Sclerosis Society to deliver advice to their members across the area.
- We worked with Homegroup to deliver housing help and advice.
- We continued to be a part of Ipswich County Court Advice and Representation Service (ICCARS)
Financial Gain: 2018
The total benefit awarded to clients as a result of our work this year was approximately £2,053,424, highlighting the essential need for our service in the East Suffolk Coastal area.
Financial gain by benefit (January 1st to December 31st)
| Benefit | Gain |
| Appeals | £513,156 |
| Attendance Allowance | £138,004 |
| Carers Allowance | £17,339 |
| Disability Living Allowance | £84,282 |
| Employment Support Allowance | £366,039 |
| Housing benefit | £5,727 |
| Income Support | £4,798 |
| Industrial Injuries | £12,935 |
| Personal Independence Payment | £908,765 |
| Unspecified | £2,379 |
| Total | £2,053,424 |
Financial gain by area (January 1st to December 31st 2018)
| Area | Gain |
| Aldeburgh | £15,417 |
| Felixstowe | £434,497 |
| Framlingham | £20,293 |
| Greater Ipswich & Kesgrave | £490,302 |
| Leiston | £180,828 |
| Saxmundham | £159,140 |
| Woodbridge | £709,681 |
| Other | £43,266 |
| Total | £2,053,424 |
Enquiries by Town and Surrounding Area
Testimonials
“I was most grateful for the help and support today and have every praise for the good and professional job they do”
“A real life line”
“I wouldn’t have been able to without the help of the DAS team. Thank you so much”
“Better in all aspects of approach and contact from others that I have tried to get help from”
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