Working with External Partners

1. Working with External Partners Lee Phillips – Wales Manager, Money Advice Service Helen Richards - Partnership Manager Wales , Discretionary Assistance Fund July 2014

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Working Together What 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

5. Our statutory role • 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

6. How we do it

7. Money Advice • Telephone • 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 Face • Call 0300 330 0520 or email moneyadviser@citizensadvice.org.uk

8. Recommendations Recommendation 13 • Stakeholders, including Welsh Government to contact Money Advice Service to have their free financial tools embedded on their websites.

14. Budget planner

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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.

25. Geography of DAF Partners across Wales Key No registered partners Fewer than 5 registered partners Between 5 – 10 registered partners Between 10 – 20 registered partners Over 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. Local level Registered Partners Map of support across Wales March 2014*

26. Local Level Partners by area and sector

27. All Partner Registrations split by sector (all Wales)

30. Review of progress to date Summary of progress to date • 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.

31. Partner Network Development plan for Year 2 The Partnership Plan focuses on the following strands: Working together Training & Awareness Communication Visibility Partner Voice 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