Lee Healey of IncomeMAX

We sat down with Lee Healey, of IncomeMAX, who explained to us a bit more about how he offers those in debt holistic advice and why so many people are missing out...

1) Firstly, what exactly does IncomeMAX do? 

IncomeMAX is a branded, holistic, financial well-being support service and a direct solution to the problems that people face in relation to understanding their benefits and tax credits entitlement and maximising income. 

IncomeMAX provide a range of services in order to achieve our aims. We help our customers to: 

• maximise their income and minimise expenditure

• move into work

• find the right debt advice

• maintain their financial and social wellbeing 

We are the UK’s leading sole purpose welfare advice service, providing personalised, expert advice through well trained, expert, caring staff. 

Our unique business model means that we work with businesses to ensure our customers receive our help for FREE... after all, if we help customers get their income and expenditure straight, they are more likely to be able to pay their bills/debts. 

It is a totally new way of supporting vulnerable customers... reaching out with a supportive helping hand, instead of chasing them for money they do not have. 

IncomeMAX is a model of good practice and can be useful within every sector, including finance, energy, water, debt advice, debt management, local authorities, charities, insurance and business. 

It is an innovative service with an old fashioned ethic; well trained people helping people. 

2) How long have you worked at IncomeMAX and what did you do before? 

Although it may look like an 'overnight success' the methodologies, training and ethos of the business were developed and tested by myself over the last 17 years, my entire career! 

I have been involved in benefits and tax credits advice for a long time! I was originally an Income Support Decision Maker for the DWP, before moving into the advice sector with charity DABD. I then moved into training, management and strategic work with Advice UK, before returning to DABD to manage their benefits advice team. In 2009, I launched IncomeMAX as a national benefits advice service. This was at the same time that I became the BBC’s resident benefits expert on the lunchtime programme Working Lunch (BBC Two). My media work really helped put IncomeMAX on the map and I continue to provide regular commentary for a range of BBC Television and Radio Programmes, including BBC Breakfast News, BBC News 24 (including the Your Money programme), Radio Five Live, Radio 4 (including the Money Box programme), Radio 2 and a host of local BBC radio stations. I also write my own ‘Benefits Doctor’ column and answer questions for financial website Savvy Woman.  

3) Could you describe the process for us?

The IncomeMAX entitlement check has the following elements:

1)   Benefit entitlement check – the IncomeMAX advisor undertakes a benefit and tax credit entitlement check for each customer/household, to establish whether they are missing out on any additional benefits or tax credits. Complex calculations are carried out to check whether any means-tested benefits are available and an assessment of health is also undertaken, to check eligibility for disability benefits. IncomeMAX advisors also pay particular attention to passport benefits such as Warm Home Discount, free school meals for children and insulation/heating grants. The full list of benefits/tax credits/passports IncomeMAX assess each customer for is available here http://www.incomemax.co.uk/Benefits_Checklist_2011_2012.pdf  

2)   Expenditure minimisation – we look at whether financial assistance schemes or special energy water tariffs may be relevant to help minimise expenditure. For example we have great links with Charis, who administer the British Gas Energy Trust fund. We also encourage the customer to review their budget carefully, making tough decisions on unnecessary spend where appropriate. 

3)   Benefit entitlement check results and further action agreed - the IncomeMAX advisor then outlines the results of the entitlement check to the customer and then agrees further actions, including how to apply for benefits, follow up dates and timescales. IncomeMAX contact details are provided to the customer and the results sent across to the commissioning organisation. 

4) How can this help individuals to manage their finances? 

Income maximisation is a much neglected element of debt advice. So much attention is given to the ‘expenditure column’ yet benefits and tax credits advice is a key cornerstone of debt advice. Maximising income can help the customer become just that little bit better off and able to meet their financial responsibilities. Our work has so many positive knock on effects; it can take a customer out of fuel and water poverty, it improves financial capability, it can help a customer move back into work successfully and improve overall social and financial wellbeing. 

5) Why do you think so many people are unclear about the benefit and tax credit they are entitled to? 

The system is just horrendously complex. It is a very fragmented system which people find difficult to access. Even when your entitlement is correct, it is highly likely you will not be able to understand how your benefits and tax credits have been calculated. The general public have almost given up trying to understand it and I just don’t think that is right. The solution for me is talking to someone that can help you make sense of it all.  

6) Who do you get commissioned to work by? 

A whole range of organisations. They include debt management companies, financial services, energy companies, water companies, local authorities, insurance companies and charities. 

7) Can the service be used in conjunction with debt management? 

Yes! And it works really well. We find that eight out of ten customers experiencing debt are missing out on something. 

8) What do you predict happening in the debt management sector over the next 12 months? 

I think the debt management sector is going through a transitional period and it will be important for debt management services to develop holistic ways of supporting customers with their debt issues. There is a lot of confusion with customers about how debt advice services and debt management companies can help and it will be interesting to see how The Money Advice Service influences debt strategy in the future. 

9) What is the best thing about your job? 

Being my own boss! In all seriousness, I am incredibly passionate about IncomeMAX and I am just glad I am in control of how my business develops over the next 10 years. I want IncomeMAX to become the nation’s benefit experts and I won’t stop until we get there! Then I’ll go play some golf. 

10) What is the most unusual case you have dealt with over the past year?

Every case is unique. I still work with customers most days and I am still shocked at the fact that people more often than not can make no sense of their benefit and tax credit entitlement. On a daily basis we’re dealing with ill health, retirement, divorce/separation, large families, maternity, mortgage/rent arrears and everything in between and it never gets boring. I like the fact that customers trust us with their life stories and it is nice to think that we can make a difference in a lot of cases. I still get very excited when we increase a customers income. And when we do, we all honk horns in our office to celebrate. Benefits advisors are a unusual bunch!