As yet another tough winter sets in, it can be a disheartening time of year for food bank staff and volunteers. There are often few signs of demand decreasing and worse, at this time of year the same, heart-wrenching dilemmas reappear for people struggling to afford food. Eating vs heating? Pay a little bit more of that ever-growing debt or buy some food? How to give the family some semblance of Christmas when there’s barely any money coming in?
But in these challenging times, it’s important to remember that there is help that can make a difference. Whilst the only intervention that will make a substantial difference longer term is real policy change, there are initiatives that take us one step closer to a world where charitable food aid is no longer required. One such project is IFAN’s ‘Worrying About Money?’ leaflets. These are step-by-step guides which epitomise the #cashfirst approach to food insecurity that IFAN advocates. The guides identify which local agencies are best placed to help people maximise income and access any existing financial entitlements. ‘Worry About Money?’ leaflets and their alternative versions have now been co-developed in 133 local authorities across the UK.
Last month, ScotCen published a report, evaluating the impact of the ‘Worrying About Money?’ guide in Scotland and it was heartening to see the positive impact the resources have had on people facing financial insecurity. The research team conducted semi-structured interviews with members of the public facing financial insecurity across Scotland who had used the ‘Worrying About Money?’ guide. Study participants agreed that the guide was a useful tool. They talked about how they found the step-by-step format accessible and easy to use. They also noted that the leaflets include local service providers, with specific local information. This was welcomed as local services had often been found more approachable and less bureaucratic than larger national services.
As the report states ‘having a range of support listed in one place reduced the burden on individuals to identify relevant support organisations themselves. For some, this made it easier for them to make the step of contacting support, as information was clearly laid out in front of them’. Participants’ confidence was also increased because of the inclusion of information on when the guide was last updated. This indicated that the sources of support listed would be available if people made contact
Confidence that support will be accessible is vital, if you’re seeking support on limited resources, such as limited phone data, wifi or even electricity to charge devices. Also critical is ease and simplicity in terms of accessing and understanding information. As one 'Worrying About Money?' guide user said “Sometimes you get a leaflet, or you look at a web page, and there’s just so much information crammed on there without a clear way of how to get through it. Whereas this is all nicely laid out in steps”.
You can read the full report and ScotCen's Jo Wildman wrote this blog on the report for the NatCen website. ScotCen was commissioned by IFAN to conduct the research thanks to funding from the Scottish Government.
The ScotCen report findings are not surprising to anyone who has used the leaflets in their community. At our food bank in south west London, we saw first-hand the difference the 'Worrying About Money?' resources made to a wide group of people. We used the leaflets as part of our registration process. And we also focused on reaching people before they needed the food bank ( Latest DWP Family Resources Survey data shows that 86% of households on Universal Credit reporting severe food insecurity did not access a food bank). We distributed them in local charity shops, pharmacies, GP surgeries, schools, libraries, and cafes.
Here’s the story of one food bank visitor.
Phil is in his fifties and has struggled with poverty for over a decade. His life was going OK, with a regular job in central London he enjoyed, until he experienced a sudden, harrowing bereavement which led to a period of extreme depression. Problems with benefits escalated and issues with his housing led to the darkest period in his life a few years ago “I used to stay indoors, I was too scared to go out and didn’t have anything. At one stage I tried to make a cup of tea using the heat from a candle”.
Phil happened to notice a poster for the food bank on one of his rare trips outside. He went in and got a food parcel. He was delighted with the food, having survived on half-tins and packets of biscuits for a while. But much more important than that, he came out with a piece of paper that, in his own words, changed the direction of his life. A ‘Worrying About Money?’ leaflet that contained all the information he needed: debt support and also advice on where to go to sort his benefits out once and for all (Phil was on legacy benefits that didn’t take account of his changed circumstances).
Having sorted his benefits, debt, and housing issue, Phil no longer needs the food bank “I look back on that day as a turning point, I just so happened to cross the road and see that poster. I often wonder whether I would be still here if I hadn’t”
You can find out more about IFAN’s ‘Worrying About Money?’ resources.