Purpose

The Financial Capability Project was established in 2021. The
council agreed to award £169,680 for the first two years from
July 2021 to June 2023, and committed to a potential third year of
funding if the project proved successful.
 
To date project has been a success and plays an important role
in Camden’s work to tackle poverty. The Financial Capability
Project provides training to staff and volunteers from local
organisations, equipping them skills and knowledge to provide
advice and support to residents with debt, energy advice, income
maximisation and money management. In addition, through the
project, Citizens Advice directly support residents with advice
related issues, including Personal Independence Payments, Housing
Benefit, Council Tax, utility debts, personal debts, council tax
and rent arrears.
 
The Council has made tackling inequality a core part of our
priorities and commitments – it is central to our purpose
outlined in We Make Camden. The Cost-of-Living (CoL) crisis is, and
will continue causing long-term harm requiring both an urgent
response and the design of our services to respond to poverty and
inequality in our communities for the foreseeable future. The
outlined initiative is an important service that aligns with the
borough’s overall We Make Camden ambitions, including
specifically around the Food Mission, Debt Challenge and wider Cost
of Living response.
 
This report details some of the impact and seeks approval to
provide a third year of funding in line with the original decision
report for this project.
 
 

Content

THAT the Executive Director for Corporate Services, in
consultation with the Cabinet Member for Voluntary Sector,
Equalities and Cohesion agrees that the council awards
£85,000 of grant funding to Citizens Advice for the third
year of the Financial Capability project through to September
2024.