Cost of Living Grant

This Bromsgrove District Council’s grant award will fund a voluntary or community group to support Bromsgrove District Council and the Bromsgrove Partnership to improve cost of living advice to Bromsgrove residents.    

Note:  Applicants must be able to evidence that they undertake debt advice with an FCA accredited organisation.

 Bromsgrove District Council, through the auspices of the Bromsgrove Partnership, set up a multi-agency Cost-of-Living Group.  The aim being to work together to understand how the increases in the cost of living was impacting on residents, how it could collectively support residents and to prevent further hardship in the longer term.

Through the knowledge and data from organisations, and two residents’ surveys undertaken, it was identified that there is a need for additional debt worker advice that works across agencies, as well as providing outreach work within communities. Consequently, Bromsgrove District Council approved the allocation of a budget to support this work.  Background to this decision can be found in the following Committee reports:

Cost of Living Proposals Report - April 2024

Cost of Living Proposals Update Report - October 2024

Grant Expectations

 The Council is seeking grant applications from the voluntary and community sector to provide a Money Adviser to help residents improve their well-being when facing financial difficulties.

The funding available is £38,000 and the successful applicant will be expected to:

Provide a Money Adviser role for a minimum of 14 months with the goals of:

• Reducing financial hardship through tailored advice.
• Maximizing household income and reducing financial risks.
• Providing pathways to debt management and budgeting advice.
• Work in partnership with the Council, Bromsgrove & Redditch Citizens Advice and other organisations providing financial support advice to residents.
• Provide an emphasis on delivering outreach services such as at libraries and in community premises. This will include liaising with the Parish Councils.
• Focus on the needs of residents, so being able to provide a service beyond the traditional Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.
• Work with partners to support and contribute to a lottery bid to sustain the cost-of-living service.
• Provide half yearly outputs and outcomes and half yearly case studies.

Evidence

Applicants will be expected to evidence:

 Experience of delivering a money advice service

• Experience of working in partnership with other organisations in Bromsgrove, both statutory and voluntary sector, to support residents
• An understanding of the needs of Bromsgrove residents
• The ability to provide debt advice with a FCA accredited organisation.
• Experience of writing successful national lottery funding applications, or similar.

Payment

The successful applicant will be paid in half yearly instalments and on receipt of satisfactory monitoring information

Apply

Please complete and return this application by 4pm on Monday 6 January 2025

For more information about this grant please contact Judith Willis on 

01527 64252 ext. 3268 or email: judith.willis@bromsgroveandredditch.gov.uk

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