Category

• Promising Local Practice

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Poverty impact

• Mitigation

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Poverty driver

• Increase employment income

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Keywords

• Housing Services
• Council tenants
• Income maximisation
• Preventative measure
• Early intervention

Aim

The Perth and Kinross Council, and local Citizens Advice delivered project, aims to mitigate financial difficulties amongst Council tenants through preventative and targeted intervention. The projects primary aim is to support people in sustaining their tenancies, and to prevent homelessness.

Summary

The project – funded by the Perth and Kinross Council Housing Services and delivered by Perth Citizens Advice Bureau – provides a financial inclusion service targeted to council tenants experiencing financial hardship. Following an early intervention approach, the project enables housing staff to refer struggling tenants to Citizens Advice (CAB). The referrals are fast tracked by CAB for benefits advice and a range of other assistance. More tenants have been engaged with the service provided through CAB, than when the project was initially delivered though the Council Housing Services. Perth CAB also provides Housing staff with specialised training on income maximisation though the project.

What difference does it make?

The project has provided an element of security for Housing tenants in the Perth and Kinross area who may be struggling financially in the current economic environment.

Key take-aways

• Engaging the third sector in delivering council services can be valuable in encouraging those who are reluctant to discuss their financial situations to do so with an independent party.
• Engaging the third sector in the delivery of benefit advice, has resulted in financial benefits for both the clients of the service, and for the Council in the form of reduced rent arrears, and increased Council rent revenue.

 

Organisations

Perth and Kinross Council (PKC) and Perth Citizens Advice.

Location

Perth and Kinross Council area.

Contact