Council to implement new service to support those in need
Forest of Dean District Council Cabinet Members have agreed to proceed with the implementation of the Low-Income Family Tracker (LIFT) to better identify those in need of support across the district and provide targeted support where needed.
Cabinet Member for Thriving Communities, Cllr Jackie Dale said:
“We know that many across the district are not claiming for benefits for which they’re entitled, and this new software will allow us to identify those who need support far easier.
“LIFT will allow us to reach residents of both working and pension age groups and ensure that those entitled to assistance are aware of the national support that is available and that it is fully utilised, including attendance allowance, council tax support and pension credits. In addition, and through our partnership work with local support organisations, we can also make sure that more holistic support can be provided.
“From speaking with residents, we understand that the cost-of-living crisis is a huge concern, and we are working to make sure that residents in areas with limited or no access to support services are being supported. LIFT will be invaluable in helping with this.”
The purpose of the Low-Income Family Tracker (LIFT) is to identify and better understand the vulnerabilities of low-income households, inform strategic planning and better target those in need.
Forest of Dean District Council and partner organisations have been working together to provide help and advice to those adversely affected by welfare reforms since the host of benefit changes introduced under the Welfare Reform Act 2012. The roll-out of universal credit (UC), one of the biggest changes to the welfare system since its inception, is having an impact on residents, who may already be dealing with long term health problems, disability, or unemployment.
LIFT will allow the Council to introduce advanced data analytics on top of the data we already hold. The use of this improved data will improve the way social policy and welfare support is delivered and impact measured across the local community here in the Forest of Dean.
Since the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis there has been increasing financial hardship for individuals and families within the district. This is evidenced through the increases in the number of council tax support (CTS) requests and universal credit claims, increasing requests for hardship funding and claims for discretionary housing payments (DHP). The Council has also seen ongoing high levels of emergency accommodation applications.
Whilst these trends are clear, less detail is known about specific risk factors and household needs, and the Low-Income Family Tracker will help to provide the required data to better identify those in need and support appropriately.
Click here to find out more about the help available: https://www.fdean.gov.uk/council-tax-and-benefits/help-if-you-re-struggling-with-living-costs/
Contact Information
Forest of Dean Communications Team
Notes to editors
The Low-Income Family Tracker is a product developed and provided by the organisation Policy in Practice. It is a platform that provides insight into low-income families/households by aggregating local authority and some publicly available datasets, including the Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE).
These aggregated data sets will provide valuable data at ward and street level. The segmentation of the demographics will also show the impacts by household type and tenure which will inform corporate strategic planning for communities and allow a more targeted approach to those most in need.
Further information can be found here: https://policyinpractice.co.uk/low-income-family-tracker/