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From the frontline - Maureen Bello
From barrister to financial inclusion officer at Hightown - Maureen Bello explains how she helps tenants find out about bulk buying and apply for benefits
Tell me about your job.
I help Hightown’s residents in any way I can providing financial advice on everything from their eligibility for welfare benefits through to representation in tribunal hearings and practical tips on how to avoid debt.
What kind of things do you help with?
For some of our residents, budgeting is a big issue. I share value for money ideas such as wholesale shopping, bulk buying or where possible, paying by direct debit rather than one-off payments. I encourage people to get back into work by showing the financial benefits through my ‘better off calculation’.
What’s your biggest concern for residents?
Welfare reform and the roll out of universal credit – where six legacy benefits will be combined into a single monthly payment – will have shattering impact on many of our residents. Individuals who are used to receiving weekly benefits will be suddenly expected to manage their money to stretch across a longer timeframe. This is problematic for some, especially those with mental health issues. Talking to residents every day, I worry that what’s designed to be a streamlining of services will lead to greater number of people in severe financial difficulty, relying on food banks and possibly facing homelessness.
How did you get into this role?
Job satisfaction for me is helping people who don’t necessarily have the ability to stand up for themselves and defend unfair decisions. My background is in law, and much of my career has been devoted to welfare advice, most recently for housing associations.
Is it easy to connect with residents?
All the people I talk to are grateful and welcome my advice. It’s not a hard sell, they immediately see the benefits of a better financial management. I don’t spend much time at my desk as I do a lot of home visits. It can be a long way for them to travel so I like to make it easier for them if I can.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Getting results for residents. I might see an opportunity for a review of benefit entitlement or a discretionary housing payment and I support individuals to make their case. There can be a lot of red tape and the whole process can take weeks or months. It’s all rewarding work, but most satisfying when much-needed payments are made swiftly and you help residents out of a really tricky situation for instance the day before the bailiffs were due to arrive.
What’s the worst thing about your job?
The demanding case load. There’s always someone else to help and the introduction of universal credit and the challenges that will bring for individuals will make my role even more important.
What would be your superpower and why?
My superpower would be invisibility because then I could help people without being recognised.
What’s the first thing you’d do if you became prime minister?
If I became prime minister, I would propose a new law, so individuals would not have to pay tax on income less than £20,000.
What’s the most private thing you would be willing to admit to your colleagues?
Not all of them would know I’m a legally qualified barrister. I’d also admit to my love for hip hop music.
