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Working with External Partners

Lee Phillips – Wales Manager, Money Advice ServiceHelen Richards - Partnership Manager Wales , Discretionary Assistance Fund

July 2014

Workshop Overview

• Workshop Overview: An opportunity for Credit Unions to discuss the partnership opportunities & resources available, for both the Money Advice Service and The Discretionary Assistance Fund for Wales.

• You will also have an opportunity to discuss some of the issues and opportunities you have experienced and together look at ways of working together to ensure your members can benefit from partnership working.

Working Together - Issues Raised

Referrals and Feedback• Feedback on referrals between both services

needed. Both providers wish to be able to measure the effectiveness of a referral.

• Advice Services will only recommend the credit union loans as one option, this can impact on joint working.

Consistency of service• Lack of consistency of service from Credit

Unions to tenants living in different areas• North Wales has consistency with product

and messages but in South Wales as there are many different Credit Unions.

• Leading time prior to a loan is inconsistent across CUs.

• Referrals - funding determines who advice agencies can see. Capacity and type of issue/characteristic differs across the country.

Debt Advice Issues • Minimum payments offered by advice services to

Credit Unions from debt advice are an issue.• Can Credit Unions be a priority debt?

Access to Services• Awareness of how to contact your local credit union

needs to be improved• What services does the local Credit Union offer,

what are their opening time, where are the collection points?

• Advice services have a long wait for referrals from Credit Unions

• Opening times and referral process unclear to Credit Unions for many advice services – both bureau and independent

Capacity• Both agencies are willing to work closer together

but both say their capacity is low.• Both have stated that funding is needed.

Working TogetherWhat could improve?• Both agencies want to be able to

provide and receive an informed referral.

• Understanding of how each other works including basic principles and also local delivery.

• Lack of consistency of service from CUs to tenants living in different geographic areas so hard to promote specific services.

• Sometimes there is competition for funding

What works well?• Sitting on each other’s trustee boards

gives a line of communication. • Surgeries in each other's premises.• Collection points in advice services

used to work but no longer happen. • Funded CONNECT project 2007-08 –

building on that legacy, Caerphilly and Denbighshire are still working well

• Attending same meetings e.g. Financial capability forum meetings, has meant face to face time which has helped build relationships between services

Our statutory role

5

• To enhance the understanding and knowledge of members of the public of financial matters;

• To enhance the ability of members of the public to manage their own financial affairs.

Financial Services Act 2010

How we do it

Money AdviceTelephone• Call our Money Advice Line on 0300 500 5000 (English) or

0300 500 5555 (Welsh)

• Monday to Friday: 8am–8pm Saturday: 9am–1pm Sunday and Bank Holidays: closed Whatever tariff you’re on, the cost of an 0300 number is the same as calling a normal phone number.

If your calls are free, then it’s free, even from mobiles.

Face to FaceCall 0300 330 0520 or email

moneyadviser@citizensadvice.org.uk

Recommendations

Recommendation 13• Stakeholders, including Welsh

Government to contact Money Advice Service to have their free financial tools embedded on their websites.

Budget planner

The Background to DAF From April 2013 elements of the Social Fund are abolished

Community Care Grants Crisis Loans for Living Expenses

Replaced by a local fund devolved to Welsh Government Themes from consultation events in Wales

Partnership delivery model National qualifying criteria Grants not loans Goods and services over cash Independent appeals Links to financial capability

Discretionary Assistance Fund Discretionary Assistance Fund - payments or in kind support for two

purposes.

Enable independent living or continued independent living, preventing the need for institutional care – Individual Assistance Payment (IAP)

Provide assistance in an emergency or when there is an immediate threat to health or wellbeing – Emergency Assistance Payment (EAP)

Payments available to people who do not have alternative means of paying for what they need and do not need to be paid back. One-off needs rather than on-going expenses.

National delivery model

How to access DAF

• Free from landline 0800 859 5924

• Charged at local rate 03301 015 000

• Online & downloadable forms for posting

www.moneymadeclearwales.org

Delivery Team - credentials Northgate has 10,000 staff and 48 major offices

100% of local authorities and police forces in Wales Systems in every NHS hospital as national programmes Half of all fire brigades and ambulance trusts Central Government

Family Fund is the UKs largest grant making charity and for over 40 years Family Fund has administered £33m per annum of grant funds for the four governments

Wrexham County Borough Council is the pilot authority in Wales for Single Fraud Investigation Service and will be keen to ensure equitable use of the fund for all. Wrexham is also one of the Universal Credit Processing sites.

Local level Registered Partners Map of

support across Wales March 2014*

KeyNo registered partnersFewer than 5 registered partnersBetween 5 – 10 registered partnersBetween 10 – 20 registered partnersOver 20 registered partners

*Local level definition: Any partner who works within one local authority area (either on a LA wide basis or specific location(s) within the LA.) This does not include National organisations.

Geography of DAF Partners across Wales

Local Level Partners by area and sector

Blaenau

Gwent

Caerphilly

Carmathen

Conwy

Flintsh

ire

Isle of A

nglesey

Monmouthshire

Newport

Powys

Swansea

Vale of G

lamorgan0

5

10

15

20

25

30

BMEOlder peoplewomen's aid/DVSpecialist & HealthCharitiesHousingCommunity Advice & Guidance

All Partner Registrations split by sector (all Wales)

Housing organisations

Local Authorities & Departments

Advice & Guidance

Charities

Specialist support/health

Credit Unions

Women’s Aid

Other domestic violence organ-isations

Age Concern/Age Cymru

Local level community organi-sations

Supporting the most vulnerable

Supporting the most

vulnerable

Mental Health

Domestic Violence

Care leavers

Prison Leavers

Older persons

Disabled

Organisations identified &

recruited across all vulnerable

groups

Financial Inclusion

Young People

Substance Misuse

Wounded Military

Personnel

BMEAsylum

seekers & Refugees

The work of the Forum

Partner Voice

DAF Project Board

Strategic & operational discussions

Accessibility &

sensitivities

Flexibility of award

DWP Sanctions

Ges ture payments

Flooring

Budgeting loans

Meeting special needs

The Re-use agenda

Safeguarding

Fridge awards

Temp housing & DHP

DAF Partner Network has grown across all- Wales with every geographical area

increasing registration. Partnership Manager’s recruitment targets exceeded. 453 partners recruited

(400 target) All 22 Local Authorities now registered with 50% signing up at above minimum

commitment DAF Partner minimum commitment developed for Partners to ensure

consistency of recruitment Specialist support for vulnerable groups well developed with national and local

organisations recruited for all 13 identified vulnerable groups Community level Partner registration increased by 500% Engagement with Partner mechanisms is good DAF Partner Forum well established & effective All-Wales agreements with key stakeholders including WLGA, CAB, DWP and

over 30 national charities such as Save the Children, Barnardo's and Mind.

Review of progress to date

Summary of progress to date

Partner Network Development plan for Year 2

The Partnership Plan focuses on the following strands:

1. Working together2. Training & Awareness3. Communication4. Visibility5. Partner Voice6. Signposting & support

This plan has created projects for 14-15:

• Branding of e-bulletin & wider communication

• Partner Area of MMC• Partner Forum new vision & structure • Safeguarding best practice & statement• Signposting pilot• F2F support campaign• Training Programme• Regional events for LA's • Visualisation of Partners