The Seafarers Advice and Information Line (SAIL) has been granted an extra £30k by leading maritime charity, Trinity House. The extra funds will be used to employ another part-time adviser to join the existing SAIL team in providing vital support to seafarers and their families. Trinity House joins three other major maritime charities, Seafarers Hospital Society, The Seafarers’ Charity and Greenwich Hospital, in supporting SAIL.
Welcoming the extra funds, Emma Knight, CEO, Citizens Advice Greenwich, which runs SAIL, said:
“We’re incredibly grateful to Trinity House for this extra funding. It will enable us to help more seafarers and their families with issues such as debt, welfare benefits and housing. It will make a huge difference.”
SAIL is the only Citizens Advice service dedicated to seafarers and their families living in the UK. Like the rest of the Citizens Advice service, the advice they provide is independently quality assured and they are registered with the Financial Conduct Authority to offer the full range of debt advice. Last year SAIL advised 1,140 people on 5,375 new problems and achieved financial gains for clients totalling over £1.4million. Benefits and debt are the most common issues facing SAIL clients and accounted for over 60% of all enquiries.
Trinity House’s Deputy Master, Rear Admiral Iain Lower CB, commented on the grant:
“Merchant seafarers do so much for all of us, making our daily lives possible – and prosperous – by carrying vital goods around the world. To do this, they spend much of their lives at sea, working in the engine rooms, the galleys, on the bridges and on the decks in very challenging conditions. Our seafarers are often taken for granted. We forget, because seafarers operate out of sight, that they, just like many of the rest of us, need support to deal with the same worries and issues we face on shore: money, health, relationships and more. SAIL’s advice service provides a critical lifeline to all seafarers and their families, and so we are only too happy to support them with funding to help amplify their reach and make an even bigger difference to improve the lives of seafarers.”
To contact SAIL
To contact SAIL call Freephone 0800 160 1842 or visit Contact – SAIL for more information.
CASE STUDY
Following ten years at sea in the Merchant Navy, Clive is now retired and lives alone in social housing. He approached SAIL for help on the recommendation of a friend, having built up a number of debts. His State Pension was his only source of income, but he had extra living costs because of his disabilities.
SAIL helped Clive to apply for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and although this was originally refused, SAIL supported him with the appeal process. The appeal was successful, and Clive was awarded over £16,000 in backdated benefit, as well as an extra £140 per week. SAIL helped him to apply for Pension Credit as well, resulting in a further backdated payment of over £1,000 and an extra £65 per week.
Thanks to SAIL, Clive’s income has almost doubled, increasing from £230 to £435 per week. For the first time since he came ashore Clive is financially stable and could not thank SAIL enough for their help. The first thing he did after receiving the money was visit his brother – something he could never afford to do before.
