Up to £150,000 council funding for more people to access financial support

Voluntary and community organisations are invited to bid for a share of up to £150,000 to support people experiencing financial difficulties.

The fund aims to support voluntary and community sector services that reach out and support residents to maximise their incomes (through accessing all the benefits they are entitled to or by improving their employment prospects) and to access advice.

The fund is administered by the city’s Financial Inclusion Steering Group, which brings together partners including the Council, Citizens Advice York, York CVS and York Explore. All are committed to coordinate advice services across the city to ensure that residents can access the welfare support and advice available to them, and to access debt and money management advice.

Projects which have received financial inclusion grants in the past include specialist debt advice; improving the employability of people aged over 50; GP surgeries offering welfare advice support to patients; advice in the community to support residents’ financial capability; and providing support with Universal Credit applications.

Councillor Denise Craghill, Executive Member for Housing and Safer Communities, said: “It has never been more important to support our most financially vulnerable residents than during this cost of living crisis. We’re looking for projects which might include community outreach work to help residents maximise their income or help lower outgoings or avoid or manage debt.”

Councillor Nigel Ayre, Executive Member for Finance and Performance, said: “Just as past grants have helped to make a positive difference to people’s lives and financial security, we want this round of funding to deliver projects that will benefit those in greatest need the most. There is lots of excellent work carried out across the city by voluntary and community sector organisations, so I am sure they will have excellent projects planned to make the best use of this funding.”

All known organisations have been invited to send their applications before the deadline of Tuesday 21 February 2023 at 5pm. Any new organisations or any unknown to us should email financial.inclusion@york.gov.uk for an application form. Following a selection process, the successful bids will be announced in March.