Category

• Fully Validated and Adopted Local Practice

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Poverty impact

• Prevention
• Mitigation
• Reduction
• Awareness

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Poverty driver

• Increase income from benefits
• Increase employment income

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Keywords

• Food Insecurity
• Income Maximisation
• Financial Inclusion
• Food Bank
• Charitable Food Aid

Aim

To reduce the need for charitable food aid by helping people access any existing financial entitlements, in addition to advice on income maximisation.

Summary

‘Worrying About Money?’ cash first referral leaflets are co-designed as straightforward resources both for people facing money worries, and frontline support workers. The step-by-step guides identify which local agencies are best placed to help people maximise income and access any existing financial entitlements. Their design is based on learning from Scotland’s A Menu for Change project.

What difference does it make?

The work in Scotland exemplifies community impact. It is important to note that the ‘Worrying About Money?’ leaflet project is an integral part of the Scottish Government’s plan, ‘Cash-First: Towards Ending the Need for Food Banks in Scotland’. One action references investment in IFAN’s ‘Worrying About Money?’ leaflet project to ensure information on cash first support is readily available for both frontline workers and people experiencing financial hardship.
IFAN has received positive feedback from staff and volunteers. Sophie Padgett from Shropshire Food Poverty Alliance Coordinator says, “The new ‘Worrying About Money?’ leaflet for Shropshire has been really well received, people have told us it is straightforward and easy to use. We’re so pleased to be able to offer people this resource. The leaflet has really helped to empower local groups and individuals to know what cash-first support options are available in Shropshire.”
Another example of the project impact is IFAN’s collaborative work in Cornwall. IFAN’s joint report, ‘Finding ways to improve availability and access to financial support in Cornwall’, explains how this work led to transformative changes in terms of how Cornwall Council promotes available financial support based on a joint willingness to reduce poverty through a cash first (income-focused) approach.

Key take-aways

• Always taking the time to carefully talk through the needs of each individual area.
• Identify and ensure that all the relevant stakeholders are involved in key conversations.

 

Organisations

Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN).

Location

UK wide (local Authority Areas in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland).

The initial idea for the cash first referral leaflet project was developed by the A Menu for Change project in Scotland alongside partners in Dundee, Fife and East Ayrshire. IFAN took the lead with the project in the Autumn of 2020. IFAN collaborated with one of the A Menu for Change partners (Nourish Scotland) to progress work to co-develop and disseminate leaflets in areas of Scotland.

Contact