New support service to launch for those struggling with cost of living in Chichester
£300,000 is going to be spent on a "one-stop shop" - offering financial guidance on paying bills, help with housing and health and wellbeing support
Chichester councillors have agreed to invest £300,000 into a new all-round support service for people struggling with the cost of living.
As part of the Supporting You campaign, the holistic ‘one-stop shop’ service will be delivered by a specialist team of trained advisors who will help people to access support through the council, such as financial help to pay bills, help with housing, and health and wellbeing support.
Plans to set up the service – which is due to be launched later this year – were given the nod during a meeting of the full council on Tuesday (July 19).
Peter Wilding, cabinet member for finance, corporate services and revenues & benefits, said: “The council recognises that Covid-19 and the current cost of living crisis is having a negative impact on residents living in our district and wants to help mitigate this impact by developing and delivering a support service.”
The money will be taken from the general fund reserve to pay for a team of five to deliver the service for two years.
A steering group will be set up to help design it and make sure there is minimal duplication with other services, such as those offered by the county council and Citizens Advice.
But the advisors will also help people to access those other services, including Arun and Chichester Citizens Advice, Arun and Chichester Food Partnership and the Community Hub.
Mr Wilding added: “Research has shown that early intervention creates a better opportunity to create behavioural change.
“By identifying customers falling into arrears early and offering this service, we aim to reduce the costly impacts of more entrenched debt and financial difficulty.”
Councillors gave their full support to the new services.
Richard Plowman (Lib Dem, Chichester North) said: “We all recognise the need is out there.
“You can see already the food-bank is up by 50 per cent in terms of uses and we were having to start UKHarvest Pantries.
“The need is out there and I think this is a very, very good initiative.”
Donna Johnson (Local Alliance, Sidlesham & Selsey North) lauded the efforts of a group called Full Up, which she said supplied ingredients for over 2,000 meals to children in Selsey during the school holidays.
Mrs Johnson was one of several councillors who shared tales from residents about how they were struggling to make ends meet.
One man told her he was worried that he would not be able to afford both his rent and petrol for his car to get to work.
She said: “I think we absolutely should not underestimate the issues that so many of our residents are having.”
The service will be monitored and then reviewed after six months.
You can find more details here.