Category

• Promising Local Practice

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Poverty impact

• Mitigation

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Poverty driver

• Increase income from benefits

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Keywords

• Cash-first
• Low income households
• Stigma
• Financial Support
• One-off payment

Aim

The aim of the project is to help reduce the need for crisis support, encourage engagement with advice services, and break the stigma often associated with receiving support.

Summary

The Household Support Fund was developed by Falkirk Council to provide cash-first support to low-income families living in the Falkirk Council area. Its primary objective is to help reduce the need for crisis support, encourage engagement with advice services, and break the stigma often associated with receiving other types of support such as vouchers or food parcels. The fund is overseen by the Fairer Falkirk team, working in partnership with trusted referral partners.

What difference does it make?

Providing financial support to individuals in their time of need.

Encouraged greater levels of engagement between services and target groups.

Strengthened partnership working between the council and third- sector organisations.

Organisations

Falkirk Council Fairer Falkirk Team, Falkirk Council Revenues and Benefits Team, Citizens Advice, Local Housing Associations

Location

Falkirk Council area

Key take-aways

• A cash- first approach may be useful in helping households experiencing poverty or living on a low- income, as it offers an alternative solution to receiving benefits which is often stigmatised.
• Removing the stigma which surrounds poverty is necessary to ensure that households are maximising their income, by receiving all the benefits they are entitled to.
• The efficiency of the project and its referral process has increased communication between households and support services where engagement would otherwise be unlikely.

 

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