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Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet has approved a new support initiative worth £1.1 million, designed to assist thousands of families across the city with issues related to benefits, debt, housing, and day-to-day living expenses. This four-year programme aims to deliver free, independent advice through specially trained Citizens Advice Liverpool advisers who will be based in Family Hubs and various community venues throughout Liverpool.
The initiative is projected to aid approximately 1,500 families annually, totaling around 6,000 families over the programme’s duration. Its primary goal is to help families enhance their income, identify and access support services they may currently miss out on, and address financial difficulties before they escalate into crises. Assistance will cover areas such as benefits and welfare entitlement checks, debt and money management advice, housing and tenancy issues, employment support, childcare costs, Healthy Start applications, and access to local hardship schemes and practical help.
Families facing urgent challenges like rent arrears, debt problems, or difficulties with benefits will receive personalized support, including referrals to other relevant services when required. The support will be accessible through Liverpool’s network of 12 Family Hubs and other familiar community locations, ensuring that residents can easily connect with trusted advice near their homes. This programme is part of the council’s extensive efforts to combat child and family poverty, a significant issue affecting an estimated 40% of children in Liverpool, many of whom live in working households.
Councillor Harry Doyle, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, emphasized the importance of the investment, stating, “Cabinet’s approval of this investment is an important step in helping families access the support they need and deserve. We know that many households are struggling with rising costs and financial pressures. Too often, people are missing out on help simply because they don’t know where to go or what support is available. By bringing Citizens Advice Liverpool into Family Hubs and community settings, we’re making it easier for families to access trusted advice close to home. Whether it’s boosting household income, dealing with debt or getting support with housing issues, this programme will provide practical help that can make a real difference to people’s lives.” Additionally, Professor Matthew Ashton, Director of Public Health for Liverpool City Council, highlighted the wider impact of poverty, commenting, “Poverty has a significant impact on health, wellbeing and opportunities throughout life. We know that financial pressures can affect everything from mental wellbeing to children’s development and educational outcomes. That’s why it is so important that families can access advice and support quickly and easily. This programme will help families maximise their income, improve financial resilience and access the wider support available across the city.”
The Citizens Advice Liverpool programme will collaborate closely with Family Hubs, the Council’s Financial Resilience Team, and other advice providers to ensure families receive coordinated and comprehensive support. It will also work alongside the Liverpool Access to Advice Network (LATAN), which enhances referral pathways between organisations, improves coordination of services, and ensures families can obtain the right help at the right time. This partnership-forming approach is part of a broader strategy to tackle child and family poverty in Liverpool, which includes addressing issues like bed poverty and hygiene poverty, supporting frontline workers, and fostering stronger collaborations across voluntary, community, faith, and public sectors. More details about how residents can access the new service will be provided prior to its official launch
Read the full article on Liverpool Express here: Read More
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