Purpose

The purpose of the report was to seek approval to replace the Welfare Strategy with the Financial Wellbeing and Resilience Strategy.

Decision

ORDERED that Executive:

1. Approve the Financial Wellbeing and Resilience Strategy which replaced the Welfare Strategy.
2. Approve that delegated authority be granted to the officer responsible for finance (Section 151 Officer) to approve amendments to the Strategy, subject to consultation with the Executive Member responsible for finance.

Reasons for the decision

REASONS

The Council delivered a wide range of welfare, financial assistance, income maximisation and support services that had developed over time in response to changing legislation, economic conditions and resident need.

The Financial Wellbeing and Resilience Strategy 2026-2030 brought together services, policies and initiatives within a single strategic framework, providing a coordinated corporate approach to supporting residents' financial wellbeing.

The Strategy reflected the significant challenges facing Middlesbrough, including high levels of deprivation, income inequality and employment deprivation, while ensuring support remained responsive to current and emerging needs. Adoption of the Strategy would evolve the current Strategy and provide clarity of purpose, strengthen partnership working, improve coordination across services and support delivery of the Council Plan and the Mayor's vision of "Making Middlesbrough Thrive".

The Strategy promoted a preventative, targeted and person-centred approach to financial wellbeing, recognising that financial hardship was often linked to wider issues such as health, housing, employment, education and social inclusion. Through early intervention, crisis support and resilience-building activity, the Strategy would help residents maximise income, access financial support, reduce living costs, improve financial inclusion and build longer-term financial stability.

By targeting resources towards households and communities experiencing the greatest disadvantage, the Strategy would contribute to reducing poverty and inequality, improving wellbeing outcomes and creating stronger, more resilient communities across Middlesbrough.

Alternative options considered

OPTIONS

Retaining the existing Welfare Strategy had been considered although not recommended, as it no longer reflected the breadth of support available to residents. Support now extended beyond welfare provision to include a wider range of financial wellbeing and resilience initiatives, including support for households in employment who might be experiencing financial hardship. The proposed Strategy better reflected the full range of support and the Council's preventative approach to improving financial wellbeing.

The proposed Financial Wellbeing and Resilience Strategy provided a comprehensive and consolidated framework for addressing residents' needs. It aligned with, and was informed by, the suite of approved supporting policies that underpinned the Council's approach to financial wellbeing and resilience, ensuring a coordinated, consistent and proactive approach to the provision of support.