Hertfordshire Financial Capability & Inclusion Forum SUPPORT PROVIDED TO RESIDENTS & CLIENTS Survey Analysis and Shared Information from meeting held 13.

Hertfordshire Financial Capability & Inclusion Forum

SUPPORT PROVIDED TO RESIDENTS & CLIENTS

Survey Analysis and Shared Information from meeting held 13th January 2014

Contents

• Introduction

• Encouraging Saving and Affordable Credit

• Discouraging Payday Loans

• Appliances, Furniture and Furnishings

• Ideas and Actions

Introduction

• Initial sharing of information at Housing Providers’ meeting in December

• Survey developed and circulated to wider group

• 15 responses received prior to meeting 13th January

• This document also includes further links and additional information discussed at the meeting

Encouraging Saving and Affordable Credit

HOUSING STAFFFinancial Inclusion

Income TeamsSupport Workers

RESIDENTSPotential/NewPeople with

debt/financial issuesADVICE

Internal and/or referred to:External agencies

(see below)INFORMATION

LeafletsOwn Websites

Other Sites(Examples and links below)

TRAINING/EVENTSIn-house, external and

partnership events(Further information below)

CREDIT UNIONSRange of relationships

(see below)

Money Advice – who does what

Housing – Internal Advisors*Tenants in arrears, at risk or change of circumstancesPotential/new tenants

Citizens Advice Bureaux*Anyone resident in local districts, but funding/resources vary so will prioritise help to those in greatest need. Light touch help for non priority debts.Telephone advice provided via county rota

Christians Against PovertyHelp those with high support needs – those in crisis at risk of losing their home. May not suit highly vulnerable clients.

Money Advice ServiceProvide light tough advice via single 45 min sessions. Good for those with specific questions but not for complex debt problems

StepChangeFormerly Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS)Free debt advice – suitable for non priority debts

payplanProvide debt management plans, some services are chargeableSuitable for non priority debts

National Debtline Free advice on dealing with debt problems – also for non priority debts

Credit Unions* Depending on resources, some CUs will support those who are in debt.

HCC Money Advice UnitCurrently funded to provide support directly to families in Broxbourne, Stevenage and Hemel Hempstead. Professionals may seek advice from MAU on benefits, welfare reform etc on behalf of their clients

* Resources and services available will vary between different organisations

Information Provision- examples/links

Thrive Homes

Money Saving Expert Website

HCC Money Advice Unit

Film – “Money Made Simple”

North Herts Homes

Financial Capability Training/Events

• For your clients/residents:– The Hertfordshire CABx can deliver this, contact Marion Seneschall [email protected] or

Carole Royce [email protected] – NB the challenge is how you promote/package this so that the people who need it attend

• Local events – the Money Makeover events in Welwyn Hatfield were very successful in 2013 – 100 people in total attended.

• For professionals – the HCC Money Advice Unit provides training on Welfare Reform etc for frontline workers in the voluntary and housing sector. Contact: [email protected]

• Training Resources – a range of resources are available via the HTDC website for use by those delivering financial capability training.

– If you have resources available to share with others email [email protected] so we can continue to improve and update the site

Credit Unions –Range of Relationships with Housing:

• Promotion• Referrals• Partnership Working• Integrated in support team (e.g. YMCA)• Specific products/agreements e.g.:

– Funding/underwriting loans (NHH)– Managed Accounts for tenants (NHH/Hertsavers)– CredEcard (Watford CHT)

• Jam Jar Accounts – topical interest due to Welfare Reforms– But complex to manage and costly to provide

• Other ventures launching in advance of Universal Credit:– E.g. Post Office pilot in Harpenden and Bishop’s Stortford

Discouraging Payday Loans

TALK ABOUT IT1:1 or small groups

Simply demonstrate how debts can escalateCompare with alternatives e.g. CU loans

Negotiate alternative repayments

PREVENTIONTraining and Education

Articles and LeafletsPROMOTE/PROVIDE ALTERNATIVESOwn emergency loans (NHH, WCHT)

Credit Union LoansFoodbanks

Grants e.g. HWAS, Local fundsNational Housing Federation –

My Home Finance and Contents Insurance

Quids In

Support for Appliances, Furniture or Furnishings

• Information and referrals – furniture schemes, white goods schemes, Freecycle

• Financial help– Small grants, vouchers or discounts at furniture schemes (B3 Living, NHH,

Riversmead) – often focussed on new tenants– Assistance to access grants e.g. Turn2Us, HWAS, Local Hardship funds (North

Herts), DWP budgeting advances, Local trusts and charities e.g. SAFA– CU loans for creditworthy clients

• Other support– Recycle furniture from voids and families downsizing (Riversmead)– Negotiate discounts/deals with suppliers (WCHT investigating)

What else has worked well

• Riversmead – partnership working with CAB and Genesis Housing

• North Herts Homes – fund worker from HYH for tenants under 25

• A contribution from the individual to add sense of value and own esteem (YMCA)

• Ensure tenants aware of support available from your team and get help early on (Guinness South)

• Having a good rapport with external providers and regular communication/updating (Howard Cottage)

Key issues

• Cuts in benefits and welfare have increased demand

• Difficult to access help from HWAS:– Updated information has been requested from HCC and will be circulated

• Problems in obtaining repayments from crisis loan borrowers (St Albans CU)

Ideas for Discussion

• Central directory* for referral agencies (Riversmead, Paradigm, Sanctuary)

• Improved awareness of services and criteria* (YMCA)

• Newsletter with updates on what’s available* (Howard Cottage)

• Email database to ask other members of the forum about experience in dealing with particular situations* (Howard Cottage)

• Low cost packages with suppliers (WCHT)

• Improved digital inclusion is a key priority (NHH/Digital Unite)

– Planning to train up Digital Champions

* Outcome of discussion at the meeting is on next slide

Information on Services, Grants etc

• The Herts Direct website has an alphabetical, categorised directory of community organisations

– Provides overview and contact details, but may not be 100% comprehensive or up to date

– Includes – Advice on Money and Debt; Furniture Schemes; Grant-making organisations

• More detailed information such as up to date eligibility for support or funding could be considered as part of the CAB Advice Services Transition Fund projects?

– Further discussion and brief will be required

HTDC is a project led by Hertfordshire Community Foundation, registered charity number 299438.

Sarah ElliottDevelopment Worker

Hertfordshire Training & Development Consortium01707 251351

[email protected]