Stroud residents facing financial hardship are set to benefit from a new pilot programme offering tailored money guidance

The scheme, launched this month by Clean Slate through its Quids in! Money Guidance service and funded by Stroud District Council and the Household Support Fund, will support 75 people across three community hubs. It is designed for those who regularly rely on emergency or crisis support.

Participants receive supermarket food vouchers at the start and end of the programme, easing immediate pressures and helping them engage with five to six weeks of one-to-one support with a Quids in! Coach.

The journey begins with a Quids in! Money Health Check and leads to a personalised action plan to help maximise income and cut outgoings. The programme, including a benefit check as well as exploring all income and expenditure, aims to improve financial resilience, confidence, skills and knowledge.

A similar programme in Bath and North East Somerset has already shown strong results, with average financial gains of £1, 762 per person and reports of improved wellbeing and stability.

Real impact: a mother’s story

One participant from Bath, a single mother of three, described how Clean Slate helped her turn her situation around.

She was struggling to juggle her part-time job, paying for bills and rent and caring for her young son with autism, often borrowing hundreds each month just to make ends meet. 

With Clean Slate’s support, she accessed benefits she was entitled to and increased her monthly income by more than £1,300.

“This is the first month where I can pay everything on time; bills, rent, council tax, everything,” she shared. “I have even bought things for the kids like shoes and school uniforms. Really you saved my life”

When asked what her biggest win from working with Clean Slate was she said “You are my biggest win! If you ask me to give you a scale from 1-10 it’s 10.”

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