organisation
Hastings Advice and Representation Centre
What it does
HARC provides an accessible information, advice and advocacy service, specialising in welfare benefits and tax credits up to and including the Upper Tier Tribunal. We offer home visits to elderly and housebound people and advice surgeries in Hastings & Rother. Our aim is to relieve local poverty by ensuring the correct benefit is received by people on a low income.
What its grants paid for
£20k from The National Lottery Community Fund: HARC Income Maximisation Project
The funding will be used to provide free welfare benefits outreach support and helpline advice for people who are experiencing challenging financial circumstances. The project aims to improve the quality of life and resilience of the community by helping people to get meaningful support at the earliest possible stage and achieve the best possible outcome.
£10k from The National Lottery Community Fund
The funding will be used towards the cost of an advisor to provide free welfare benefit outreach support and helpline advice for people who are experiencing challenging financial circumstances. The project aims to improve the quality of life and resilience of the community by helping people to get meaningful support at the earliest possible stage and achieve the best possible outcome.
£10k from Sussex Community Foundation
Funding was provided towards a full-time Benefits Triage Outreach and Helpline Advisor for a period of 6 months in relation to the cost of living challenges.
£5k from Sussex Community Foundation
Funding was provided towards a specialist welfare benefits advisor and trainer for a period of 6 months, delivering a specialist welfare benefit advice and representation service to the people of Rye, Camber, Playden, Iden, Peasmarsh, Beckley, Rye Harbour, Winchelsea, Winchelsea beach and Udimore by way of direct referral from Rye foodbank.
£6k from Sussex Community Foundation
Funding was provided to increase staffing hours at their community based charity shops, enabling them to offer more volunteering/work experience opportunities.
£6k from Sussex Community Foundation
Hastings Advice and Representation Centre helps people understand their rights, which benefits they are entitled to and how to claim. They relieve local poverty and improve quality of life for their clients. Funding was provided towards staff costs for drop in advice sessions at 3 food bank venues.
£10k from The National Lottery Community Fund
The group will use the funding to provide advice and support for people who are living with Muscular Sclerosis. The project aims to help people in their lives and enable them to reach their potential.
£10k from The National Lottery Community Fund: Sessional Worker Learning Disabled
The organisation will work in collaboration with local organisations to support people with learning disabilities with a view to improving their health and wellbeing and potential by providing advice and guidance on welfare benefits.