Having previously won support from the Longleigh Foundation to support people on low incomes in Gloucestershire, Clean Slate was approached to explore ways to make more of an emergency response during the pandemic. Longleigh is a grant-making charity set up by Stonewater Housing and we developed a programme to support Stonewater tenants across the country who were veering towards financial crisis on account of Coronavirus and the lockdown. Our new Money Health-Check service, revolving around the Quids in! Future-Proof Finance Quiz, was the starting point for many of these referrals.

One individual was referred because of rent arrears and it transpired this was due to a sudden stoppage of housing benefit payments. After she also revealed she had council tax and parking fine debt mounting up, we linked her into debt advice and identified a move to Universal Credit would increase her income by £508 a month. We helped her appeal the housing benefit decision and apply for a discretionary housing payment.

A few months later and we entered into partnership with We Are Digital to deliver a similar programme to L&Q Housing tenants. While our partners had already triaged participants and diverted them into debt advice if they needed it, Clean Slate focused on financial capability guidance, helping people identify ways to re-organise how they manage their money by, for example, switching utilities, accessing additional benefits, getting online to shop around or starting a savings plan. Beyond the Money Health-Check, support workers run through an income and expenditure review and support budget planning.

In 2021, the service will become a key offer from Clean Slate to partners and their customers.