Better Off Finance

Friday, 26 July 2019

Understanding Benefits: Angela's Journey

In 2016/17, over £10 billion in benefits went unclaimed, meaning Britain’s poorest individuals and families were living below minimum standards. Amongst those unclaimed payments were income related employment and support allowance (ESA) and income support and housing benefits.

Looking for the reason people fail to claim benefits can be difficult, with broad factors being identified such as the effectiveness of the benefit, lack of awareness of the benefits available, application procedures and the stigma of receiving benefits.

Sometimes the barrier to getting the right benefits is having the support to properly understand what steps need to be taken next.

Better Off Finance key workers support individuals to understand their benefits, making sure that they are getting everything that they are entitled to. During a recent visit to Life Rooms, 60-year-old Angela was informed about the support available through her local Citizens Advice. Looking for support to gain more confidence and financial support, she signed up with Better Off Finance and met her key worker – Louise.

Through 1-2-1 support, Angela was able to start working through her money issues, along with getting support to improve her mental health. Not having worked since her 20’s, Angela was the primary carer for her parents who passed away within a year of each other, having a major impact on her health that left her hospitalised.

After losing several appeals for ESA support group and PIP, her key worker Louise helped her to fill out forms and accompany her at meetings to make her feel more comfortable. She was able to be successfully reassessed and has now been given standard rate care PIP giving her an additional disability premium on top of ESA payments. Angela told us: “My income has gone from £102 per week to £253 per week and now I can manage my bills a lot better. Louise also helped me get warm home discount which reduces my electricity bill by £140 per year”

Now that Angela has an increased income, her anxiety levels have been improved along with her confidence “My confidence has grown a little, even though I’m still not well, I now can spot the signs and go back to my psychiatrist if I need to”

She’s now attending a writing group and has recently had her poems published, something which she puts down to her new found confidence.

Thanks to her increase in income, Angela is now able to worry less about the money she's got coming in and focus more on improving her mental health. Many vulnerable people still live on the poverty line today due to not knowing what they are entitled. You can check what benefits you're entitled to at your local Citizens Advice

About us:

Better Off Finance is offering residents of the Liverpool City Region who are currently unemployed (although don't have to be claiming benefits), a bespoke programme of support.

This support will be provided at a local community venue or at home if a participant prefers.
Each participant will be linked up with their own key worker who will support them to:
Improve their financial capability through 1-2-1 support and group work

• Access employability sessions within the programme
• Access a Level 2 Accredited ‘Money Mentor’ opportunity
• Progress into training and education opportunities
• Prepare and progress into sustainable employment.

Please contact us via our Facebook or Twitter pages to make a referral or for further information.

Better Off Finance is a program jointly funded by The National Lottery Community Fund and European Social Fund as part of the Building Better Opportunities Initiative

Wednesday, 24 July 2019

MY TURN - Dates and Locations

Better Off Finance has teamed up with Citizens Advice & RAISE teams all over the Liverpool City Region to bring back MY TURN which is here to support unemployed men and women looking to build a positive future.

Over the session, you will explore:

Looking at your thought processes, feelings and behaviors
Identifying personal visions to help in your relationships
Positive thinking
What is confidence and how to improve yours
How to build your self-motivation
Techniques to tackle problem solving

The course is completely FREE and open to men and women living in the Liverpool City Region who are currently unemployed

MY TURN is available in a number of different venues running from 10am-3pm, coming up next:

Please note that there are wider dates across all areas and participants can attend any of these. If the event is sold out, please give us a call to discuss alternative dates in your area.

For bookings or queries please don't hesitate to contact our team via 0151 706 8111 or hello@thewo.org.uk

In addition to the two day programme, participants can progress their next steps with the ongoing support of a key worker. The key workers on this programme are experts in financial capability and can provide a tailored service depending on the individual needs.

This programme is part of the Better Off Finance Programme and is open to anyone who is 18+, unemployed living in the Liverpool City Region. (Liverpool, Sefton, Wirral, St Helens, Halton, Knowsley)

This project is funded by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund

Wednesday, 26 June 2019

Better Off Finance scheme exceeds all targets and extended for further two years

A Liverpool City Region wide scheme to help people improve their employment options through managing their money better has broken all targets and been extended for a further two years.

Better Off Finance was launched across the Liverpool City Region in 2017 with the aim of helping 800 residents from the local authority areas of Halton, Knowsley, St Helens, Liverpool, Sefton and Wirral.

The £2.4m programme, funded by Building Better Opportunities via the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund, was delivered by a range of partners, including Citizens Advice and RAISE, an independent charity providing free advice and training around welfare benefits, debt, and money management issues, with social enterprise The Women’s Organisation as the lead agency.

Better Off Finance provides support to people facing challenges moving towards, or accessing, employment opportunities, and those who, due to a lack of financial capabilities, face barriers that can make it more difficult when trying to find, and keep, a job.

It aims to help people improve their financial capability through managing money and progressing into training or education opportunities to allow them to become work ready.

It has now signed up its 1,000th participant, which the delivery organisations involved say proves it is now more relevant than ever against a background of continuing austerity measures and cuts to social welfare.

Among the success stories so far is Catharine Ramage who left her teaching job due to illness in 2011 and was more or less unemployed for seven years due to her ongoing health issues.

Jo Mountfort and Catharine Ramage

She joined the Better Off Finance programme and with her key worker’s support managed to get a handle on her finances and feel confident as she made the move into self-employment. She said: “I really feel like he has given me tools for life to maximise my income and minimise my outgoings. I always tended to bury my head when it came to this stuff – now I have the confidence to find and negotiate better deals for monthly necessities. He even helped save me £100 per month on my bills which I can spend on the business!”

As well as support from Better Off Finance, she also worked with the support of Enterprise Hub and The Women’s Organisation and has now set up her own business, ‘Catharine Ramage Editorial’.

She is now an editor and proof-reader able to bring written work to publishing standard. She has edited documents for a range of academic journals and textbooks and written several educational textbooks for children learning English.

“I am now a business owner running my own editorial business from home –the support from my key worker meant that I had someone with me every step of the way whilst I took the leap of faith.”

The success of Catherine’s business means that she can now buy her own house – a dream she had once given up on when claiming benefits.

Also looking to get her finances in order, Wirral mum-of-one, Tilly, used Better Off Finance first to rein in family spending by her and her partner, and then as a springboard to a new job.

She joined the scheme in February 2017 hoping to improve her financial capability.

Soon she was slashing household bills with the aid of comparison websites, saying the programme gave her the confidence to shop around for better deals, including savings of £200 a year on her water bill, £200 a year on car insurance, and an impressive £360 a year on energy bills.

“I’m so much more savvy when shopping,” she said.

But the scheme also helped improve her confidence and self-esteem and after finishing her course she became a volunteer for Better Off Finance, before securing a part-time role as a level one advisor for the 'Ask Us Wirral' service at Citizens Advice Wirral.

Tilly said: “Without the support of Better Off Finance I would not have even thought about applying for those kinds of jobs.”

Tilly

The programme has now been extended through the Building Better Opportunities fund for an additional two years meaning that many more individuals across the city region can benefit from this invaluable support

Jo Mountfort, from The Women’s Organisation who works on the programme said: “This project has come at a crucial time where the austerity agenda and welfare reform are having a significant impact on our society.

“We are working to support those most affected and seeing people make positive changes in their lives.

“Being able to offer such a bespoke service means that we are supporting participants get to the heart of their issues with the help and support of expert colleagues at Citizens Advice and RAISE.”

Hitesh Patel, chief officer of Citizens Advice Halton, added: “Citizens Advice has been supporting people by offering money advice services for a long time, but with Better Off Finance we have the opportunity to work in partnership with The Women’s Organisation and RAISE, making the programme more accessible to people around the Liverpool City Region.”

Better Off Finance support is available to people who are unemployed in the Liverpool City Region. For more information on the programme contact the team on 0151 706 8111 or at hello@thewo.org.uk

Friday, 14 June 2019

Forced to Work: Tackling Modern Day Slavery

If you hear about slavery, you would probably think about the exploitation of human rights that was abolished in the 19th century, but in fact, slavery still exists today. It’s hard to accept that this practice is still a reality all over the world, with an estimated 40.3 million people in modern day slavery.

Modern day slavery can take shape in many forms, from being forced to work, being owned or controlled by an ‘employer’ to being physically constrained without freedom of movement. It affects people of any age, race or gender but most commonly those who are vulnerable are being taken advantage of. Originally from Eastern Europe, Karl approached his local Citizens Advice to get support settling back into the community after being a victim of trafficking into the UK.

Forced into illegal practices and made to work in a car wash for little or no pay, Karl had spent 7 years living in squalor with physical and mental abuse before being rescued by police intervention and brought to a safe house by the Salvation Army.

After visiting Citizens Advice for a food voucher, it was quickly established that Karl could benefit from extra support with finding full time employment and managing a budget. Due to Karl’s status in the UK as a job seeker he was unable to claim any benefits, meaning it was vital for him to find employment to support himself.

Since enrolling onto the programme, the key workers over at Citizens Advice have been able to support Karl to update his CV and apply for potential jobs. The programme was able to support him to understand contracts, and secure expenses for clothing.

The Key Worker also spoke to him about the courses he would have access to during Better Off Finance. Karl completed the My Turn training to build his confidence and went onto receive an accredited qualification for attending the Money Mentor ‘Become a Savvy Consumer’ training.

Often struggling with feeling alone and isolated that has impacted on his overall health, Karl has relished working in a group environment with people who have been supportive and empathised with his situation, he said: “Since I’ve engaged on the project my confidence has increased. The project has given me so much practical support but has also restored my faith in human nature with welcoming smiles and people’s willingness to listen”

Since completing the programme, Karl is now engaged in full time employment and is looking forward to his future.

About us:

Better Off Finance is offering residents of the Liverpool City Region who are currently unemployed (although don't have to be claiming benefits), a bespoke programme of support.

This support will be provided at a local community venue or at home if a participant prefers.
Each participant will be linked up with their own key worker who will support them to:
Improve their financial capability through 1-2-1 support and group work

• Access employability sessions within the programme
• Access a Level 2 Accredited ‘Money Mentor’ opportunity
• Progress into training and education opportunities
• Prepare and progress into sustainable employment.

Please contact us via our Facebook or Twitter pages to make a referral or for further information.

Better Off Finance is a program jointly funded by The National Lottery Community Fund and European Social Fund as part of the Building Better Opportunities Initiative

Tuesday, 30 April 2019

From Carer to Employment: Joanne Works with RAISE to Boost Her Employment Opportunities

Leaving employment to become a full-time carer can be a tough decision to make, and with seven million carers currently living in the UK it’s a decision that many people have had to face. Whilst many find caring for their family a very rewarding role, financial matters can make it hard to continue. As many as 60% of people have used all their savings to cover the cost of caring and that’s only set to increase.

Spending many years as the primary carer for her husband, Joanne approached RAISE for support in transitioning back into full time employment following his death. Since her carer role ended, she had been living off her savings and wanted to get back into employment but struggled with her lack of confidence brought on by the prospect of going back into interviews after so long.

The transition from carer back into employment can feel like a huge step, but with the support of her key worker at RAISE, Joanne was able to go through some simple interview techniques that she was able to use for a job interview she had coming up. Looking at the skills and interests she already had, she was able to tailor her job search around roles she had experience in and successfully get through to interview stage.

With continued support from RAISE, she was able to confidently attend her interview. Eagar to continue her personal development, Joanne's key worker spoke to her about what other courses she could have access to, and suggested she attend confidence building courses My Turn and Change it at The Women’s Organisation.

“I really enjoyed the courses, they were interesting, and it was great to interact with others. I would highly recommend the Better Off Finance programme to others”

Since the programme, Joanne has now moved into employment and is thinking about moving into her own home. She is now working with her keyworker to put together a typical budget for household bills and has been able to get advice on renting prices.

With the number of carers set to increase by 3.4 million in 2030, it’s more important than ever that there is support available for people thinking about becoming a carer or going back into employment.

For more information about caring you can check out the following resources:

https://www.carersuk.org/

https://carers.org/

About us:

Better Off Finance is offering residents of the Liverpool City Region who are currently unemployed (although don't have to be claiming benefits), a bespoke programme of support.

This support will be provided at a local community venue or at home if a participant prefers.
Each participant will be linked up with their own key worker who will support them to:
Improve their financial capability through 1-2-1 support and group work

• Access employability sessions within the programme
• Access a Level 2 Accredited ‘Money Mentor’ opportunity
• Progress into training and education opportunities
• Prepare and progress into sustainable employment.

Please contact us via our Facebook or Twitter pages to make a referral or for further information.

Better Off Finance is a program jointly funded by The National Lottery Community Fund and European Social Fund as part of the Building Better Opportunities Initiative

Friday, 15 February 2019

10 Easy Tips To Become a Savvy Saver

The following blog was written by our Intern from Liverpool John Moores University, Cerys Evans.

Whether you are saving for that summer holiday or if you just want some pocket money each month, the best way to get your finances in check is by making sure you're putting some money aside to save. We've rounded up the best 10 tips to use to become a savvy saver.

1. Track your spending

Keeping track of your spending will help you stay within your budget. Set a budget for how much you can spend and then track it. Whether you want to keep track of your spending in a notebook or on your phone, make sure that you’re consistent and stick to your budget. There are now a lot of apps that will help you track your spends with the most popular being Monzo!

2. Find things to do for free

There are plenty of activities that you can do for free! Look at tourist centered sites to find out about museums, exhibitions, events and festivals happening in your local area. One of our favourites is Visit Liverpool and Day out With The Kids where they’ll gather all the information in one place, simple!

3. Leave debit/credit cards at home

This may seem a little strange… but leaving your debit/credit card at home and only taking the money you absolutely need is a simple way of making sure you don’t overspend! Tempted as you will be to purchase an item, you will have no choice but to walk away

4. Avoid temptation - don’t go shopping if you don't need to

If you don’t go to the shops, you can’t be lured by nice things.

5. Decrease the amount of eating and drinking out

Try to leave eating out for a special occasion and start making your own food at home. It can save you a lot of money, but it can also be a chance to learn a new skill! Not convinced? Here’s some quick math for you…

£2.50 (one coffee a day in the week) x 5 coffees a week = £12.50

£12.50 x 4 weeks = £50

£50 x 12 months = £600 a year.

Making a coffee at home is a fraction of the price of that!!

6. Look on discount sites

If you do decide that you will go out for food or drinks, then you can take advantage of discount sites such as Groupon that will offer some great deals on food prices. There is always a discount code for stores when you buy anything online and a lot of the time you will be able to at least find 10% off which will make a big difference long term!

7. Cheaper supermarkets

Make sure to always go for the supermarkets that offer you the best value for your money. It can be easy to opt for the supermarket that is closer and more convenient but by making sensible swap and choosing none-branded items you could save a good amount of money. A great way of finding out where best to shop is by using a supermarket price comparison tool, we've found a great one you can use here

8. Plan your food shop

You know what they say: never go food shopping on an empty stomach. Work out prior to the supermarket trip what you need to buy and try to stick to just buying those items, but if there’s something that you use weekly you could stock up when prices are reduced.

9. Switch energy suppliers

It's said by switching energy supplier each household could save up to £400 a year! It's an easy way to save money and it takes a couple of minutes to do.

10. Sell your unused items online

Just because you're not using it anymore doesn't mean that somebody else won't! a great way to earn some extra money to put away is by selling your unused clothes, CD's, Books etc online! There is truly money to be made by items you probably haven't thought about in years. Some of the most popular sites to sell on include eBay, Music Magpie and Depop!

About us:

Better Off Finance is offering residents of the Liverpool City Region who are currently unemployed (although don't have to be claiming benefits), a bespoke programme of support.

This support will be provided at a local community venue or at home if a participant prefers.
Each participant will be linked up with their own key worker who will support them to:
Improve their financial capability through 1-2-1 support and group work

Access employability sessions within the programme
Access a Level 2 Accredited ‘Money Mentor’ opportunity
Progress into training and education opportunities
Prepare and progress into sustainable employment.

Please contact us via our Facebook or Twitter pages to make a referral or for further information.

Better Off Finance is a program jointly funded by The Big Lottery Fund and European Social Fund as part of the Building Better Opportunities Initiative

Friday, 1 February 2019

Sarah Controls Her Finances Thanks To Better Off Finance

Sometimes it’s the simple changes that can make the biggest difference, especially when it comes to our finances. Getting the ball rolling when starting to budget can be difficult but in the long term can have a huge impact on how you spend. Our key workers at Better Off Finance are experts in knowing what changes can be made to start the journey to a positive debt free future.

Struggling with her budget and looking to get a better understand of her money and the ways she could save, Sarah approached citizens advice Wirral where she found out all about how the Better Off Finance programme could improve her financial savviness.

Sitting down with Sarah, she looked at the simple changes that can be made like looking at gas/electric comparisons, looking at contents insurance to make sure household personal possessions are fully covered for repairing or replacing and we looked at opening a credit union account.

Sarah is now in control of her debt: “I am more positive, happy and confident knowing my finances are under control and being managed better with the amount I can afford to pay”

Alongside receiving financial advice she has been able to meet new people and also get some great tips on how to save for the future. “I think people should really think about coming onto the programme, I like how talking about finances isn’t made scary or serious and the group can have a good laugh whilst doing it”

Since attending the programme, she will now be going on to volunteer at Wirral point in Birkenhead as a receptionist.

“The Key Worker who ran the programme was brilliant at delivering the contents and information, extremely friendly and was easy to approach”

About us:

Better Off Finance is offering residents of the Liverpool City Region who are currently unemployed (although don't have to be claiming benefits), a bespoke programme of support.

This support will be provided at a local community venue or at home if a participant prefers.
Each participant will be linked up with their own key worker who will support them to:
Improve their financial capability through 1-2-1 support and group work

Access employability sessions within the programme
Access a Level 2 Accredited ‘Money Mentor’ opportunity
Progress into training and education opportunities
Prepare and progress into sustainable employment.

Please contact us via our Facebook or Twitter pages to make a referral or for further information.

Better Off Finance is a program jointly funded by The National Lottery Community Fund and European Social Fund as part of the Building Better Opportunities Initiative

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