Thousands of Liverpool families will find it easier to get help with benefits, debt, housing and everyday living costs after Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet approved a new £1.1 million support programme.
The four-year programme will see dedicated Citizens Advice Liverpool advisers providing free, independent advice through Family Hubs and community venues across the city. It is expected to support around 1,500 families each year and approximately 6,000 families in total.
The programme aims to help families increase their income, access support they may be missing out on, and get help before financial difficulties become a crisis.
Residents will be able to access support with:
- Benefits and welfare entitlement checks
- Debt and money management advice
- Housing and tenancy issues
- Employment support
- Childcare costs and Healthy Start applications
- Access to local hardship schemes and practical support
Families experiencing urgent issues, such as debt problems, rent arrears, or benefit difficulties, will also be able to receive tailored support and referrals to other services when needed.
Support will be delivered through Liverpool’s network of 12 Family Hubs and other community locations, making it easier for residents to access help in places they already know and trust.
The programme forms part of Liverpool City Council’s wider work to tackle child and family poverty across the city. Around four in ten children in Liverpool are estimated to be growing up in poverty, with many living in households where parents are in work.
Councillor Harry Doyle, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, said:
“Cabinet’s approval of this investment is an important step in helping families access the support they need and deserve.
“We know that many households are struggling with rising costs and financial pressures. Too often, people are missing out on help simply because they don’t know where to go or what support is available.
“By bringing Citizens Advice Liverpool into Family Hubs and community settings, we’re making it easier for families to access trusted advice close to home. Whether it’s boosting household income, dealing with debt or getting support with housing issues, this programme will provide practical help that can make a real difference to people’s lives.”
Professor Matthew Ashton, Director of Public Health for Liverpool City Council, said:
“Poverty has a significant impact on health, wellbeing and opportunities throughout life.
“We know that financial pressures can affect everything from mental wellbeing to children’s development and educational outcomes. That’s why it is so important that families can access advice and support quickly and easily.
“This programme will help families maximise their income, improve financial resilience and access the wider support available across the city.”
The Citizens Advice Liverpool programme will work alongside Family Hubs, the Council’s Financial Resilience Team and other advice providers to ensure families receive joined-up support.
The programme will also link closely with the Liverpool Access to Advice Network (LATAN), helping strengthen referral pathways between organisations, improve coordination across services and make it easier for families to access the right support at the right time. Through its work across the city to unite partners, including advice sector organisations, LATAN will help ensure services are connected and responsive to the needs of local communities.
It also forms part of a wider programme of work to tackle child and family poverty in Liverpool, including action to address issues such as bed poverty and hygiene poverty, support for frontline practitioners, improved coordination between advice services and stronger partnerships across the voluntary, community, faith and public sectors.
Further information about how residents can access the service will be shared ahead of its launch.
