Money Advice Referral Tool (MART)
Category
- Promising Local Practice
Poverty impact
- Mitigation
- Awareness
Poverty driver
- Increase income from benefits
Keywords
- Money Advice Referral Tool
- Income Maximisation
- Referral pathway
- Partnership working
- Causes of poverty
Aim
To put key information at the fingertips of frontline organisations and to simplify referral processes, so that people experiencing financial difficulties receive the support they need and can increase their income.
Summary
The Money Advice Referral Tool (MART) primarily targets frontline supporters in the Greater Manchester area who engage with people experiencing financial difficulties and poverty. So far, seven borough-specific MARTs have been developed by Resolve Poverty (formerly Greater Manchester Poverty Action) in partnership with local authorities, The Trussell Trust, voluntary organisations, community groups, and people currently living in poverty. The respective MART gives support organisations an overview of available organisations and services. It guides them through a conversation with people facing financial difficulties so that they can confidently make referrals to the most relevant organisation or service, and people in need receive tailored support.
What difference does it make?
The project has raised awareness among organisations that support extends beyond food banks, offering longer-term solutions to help people in need maximise their income. The MARTs have empowered a wide range of organisational staff with the knowledge and confidence to refer individuals based on their specific needs to the right support services. One of the biggest successes so far is that the MARTs have brought together a diverse range of organisations, improving the efficiency of the referral process and strengthening the overall support system for those facing financial difficulties. In some cases, staff no longer need to rely on the MARTs because they now have direct knowledge of who can help. Overall, the MARTs have enhanced collaboration and the support structure available, ensuring that people can get the help they need to break the poverty cycle.
Key take-aways
- It is essential that those with lived experience of poverty are included from the outset. The input of those with lived experience is crucial for identifying the issues and solutions to tackle poverty locally.
- Having input from those with lived experience of poverty ensured that the MART was accessible to a wide range of service users, and that organisations most relevant for a particular area were included.
- Widespread distribution of the MART was and is essential, with face-to-face promotion at events and targeted email outreach to stakeholders essential in increasing awareness.
How to guide
Additional information that may assist others to adopt this local practice
Learn more arrow_forwardOrganisations
Resolve Poverty, the Trussel Trust (main funder), representatives of the Councils (Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan and Bolton Councils), Citizen Advice, Housing Associations, food banks, health care professionals and voluntary organisations. In each borough, there is a working group in which various voluntary and public organisations are involved in developing and revising the borough-specific MART.
Location
Greater Manchester area, including Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan and Bolton.
Status:
LiveStart date:
2016Founded in 2016 as Greater Manchester Poverty Action, and rebranded in June 2024 to Resolve Poverty.