No funding – Harlow Advice Centre to close

Fifty years since the first welfare rights officer was appointed in Harlow – one of the first of such posts in the country – Harlow Advice Centre is now set for closure 31^st January.

“While there is an increasing need for the charity’s services and Harlow Advice Centre has brought millions of pounds to the town just in the past couple of years, this is a hard time in terms of charity funding,” Mag Barrett, trustee of Harlow Advice Centre explains. “We have done everything we can that’s reasonable to save the charity, but without funding, there is no viable option for us to continue.

“Staff are in the process of writing to all of our current clients to explain what has happened and options for going forward. We would like to thank all those who have supported Harlow Advice Centre over the years. We must remember our CEO Sue Jones, who died last year. She fought cuts to core funding, and mounted legal challenges in the early 2010s to ensure Harlow Advice Centre continued to stand up for the people of Harlow. She kept the service delivering and motivated a dedicated team. We are sorry that there is no further funding option available to us to continue into the future.”

In 1975, Head of Community Services at Harlow Council, Dr Derek Hawes, explained to councillors why specialist welfare rights advice was important: “First, to make sure the people of Harlow were fully informed about what benefits they could claim. Second, to help people fight for their rights with…ruthless determination.” Plans were agreed to build Harlow Advice Centre, which was officially opened by Royal Hattersley, Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Affairs, in August 1978.

Throughout the years, the charity has fought for the people of Harlow, bringing millions of pounds to the town in monies owed, enabling people to keep the wolves from the door and avoid hardships such as homelessness.

In earlier years, advice, representation and information were available on consumer rights and employment, alongside comprehensive information and general advice on most of life’s daily challenges.

Harlow Advice Centre was a key organisation involved in the Harlow Partnership Against Poverty set up in the 1980s, whose members represented the main service providers in the town, and policy work contributed to the council of the time’s anti-poverty strategy. It was also an active player in Harlow Community Legal Services Partnership which brought together numerous advice and support agencies and strengthened services to local people.

More recently, the service has supported clients with specialist advice and representation on issues related to benefits, housing and debt.