Case Study - Empathetic, professional and proactive support for Walsall residents
Background and Context
Walsall Council is a metropolitan council and as 118,609 domestic properties with a net collectable debit of £190.5m and 8,472 non domestic properties with a net collectable debit of £83.5m.
Walsall is the 25th most deprived council according to the 2019 IMD average score and 22nd for the proportion of neighborhoods in the most deprived 10 percent nationally. Due to this, the revenues & benefits service’s main focus is the identification of vulnerability and the selection of the most appropriate recovery action.
Challenges and Delivery
For some time Walsall Council had used credit reference data to provide a clear picture of customers’ financial situation prior to engaging with them for debt recovery. Although this allowed the council to issue appropriately worded letters to residents it didn’t in itself provide support or an alternative to more traditional recovery methods.
To take the tailored offer to the next level Walsall Council worked with Welfare Together to develop a different recovery process that was more appropriate to the requirements and situation of some residents. It used the credit reference agency data to identify those that appeared to be in financial hardship and those cases were passed to Welfare Together.
Welfare Together’s service is focused on supporting local authorities by acting as an additional, specialist resource to help financially vulnerable customers. We work collaboratively with Walsall to ensure that residents who are struggling financially receive the guidance and support they need to maximise their income and build long-term financial resilience.
The core service involves identifying and assisting customers who may not be aware of the financial support available to them. This includes checking eligibility for benefits, exemptions, and disregards that could ease their financial burden. By conducting detailed income maximisation assessments, Welfare Together can help customers access the support they are entitled to, ensuring no benefit goes unclaimed.
We also support customers in completing complex online application forms, which many find challenging to navigate on their own. In cases where individuals require specialist financial advice, such as around debt relief orders (DROs) or individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs), effective signposting was provided to trusted debt advice partners.
Welfare Together’s goal is not only to support individuals in immediate financial difficulty but also to help them become more financially resilient in the long term. By reducing barriers to support and helping customers understand and access their options.
Results and Successes
The work done by Welfare together contributes to reducing arrears but still providing assistance to the financially vulnerable.
The approach is empathetic, professional, and proactive and ensures that each customer is treated with dignity and respect, and support is tailored to meet their specific needs. Through strong partnerships between Welfare Together and Walsall Council, we can deliver a service that creates meaningful impact for both customers and the council alike.
The initial trial resulted in a £350k reduction in debt (19.1{f3b3f361cfed835ca4663055645c160a472359fe9a36c815ae3b41fd8926f56d}) a 2.3{f3b3f361cfed835ca4663055645c160a472359fe9a36c815ae3b41fd8926f56d} increase over the control sample. In addition
- Of the 251 cases that were not in receipt of CTR have now successfully claimed CTR
- Of the 367 cases that were not in receipt of SPD are now receiving the discount
- The number in receipt of disabled band reduction increased from 2 to 6
Due to the success of the trial the partnership has now been included in business as usual operations at the council.
One resident provided the following feedback:
“Welfare Together go above and beyond the call of duty. Having found myself in an extraordinary difficult and stressful financial situation, Tracey has guided me through all of the necessary official forms and communications with such empathy and respect. Tracey and her team swiftly guided me through the processes, whilst I was gaining confidence with dealing with my bills and providing further ongoing support. Thank you Tracey and Welfare Together, such a fantastic service. I have no hesitation in recommending Welfare Together, they are brilliant!”
