We’re extending the contract for Advice Plymouth so that thousands of people can get the help they need to navigate issues such as benefits and tax credits.
The Council has agreed to extend the contract for the health, social care, wellbeing and financial inclusion advice and information service which is currently delivered in partnership by Citizens Advice Plymouth and Improving Lives Plymouth.
Last year the service supported Plymouth residents with a total of 18,647 issues, with the most common topics being benefits and tax credits, housing, employment, food banks, legal issues, relationships and families, debt and health and social care.
The service also supports residents with ‘Blue Badge’ and bus pass applications.
A decision is being signed today to extend the contract for two years from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2027, with an option to extend this for another year if required, to give the Council time to fully explore how we can best help with residents’ advice and information needs for the future.
NHS Devon Integrated Care Board contributes approximately 10 per cent of the current funding, which enables the service to go into clinical settings such as Derriford Hospital, the Glenbourne Unit and Plym Neurological Rehabilitation Unit, so that people can benefit from information, advice and support before they are discharged.
Advice Plymouth is also commissioned by the Council’s Public Health team to contribute to key financial inclusion work in the city, including:
- developing strong connections with ‘Community Builders’ and other partners to make sure information and advice is available in neighbourhoods, as part of the Council’s Community Resilience Project.
- Distributing the Central Government Household Support Fund to eligible people to help with the cost of food, fuel for cooking and heating and other household essentials.
Councillor Mary Aspinall, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care said: “We are committed to making Plymouth a great place to grow up and grow old and to minimising the impact of the cost-of-living crisis – and this is a service that helps us with these priorities.
“In the last financial year, the Advice Plymouth service helped people to successfully claim an incredible £5 million in previously unclaimed welfare benefits – that’s making an enormous difference, helping to make thousands of residents’ lives that bit better during difficult times and unlocking money they are entitled to.”
Residents can find out more about help available from the Advice Plymouth service by visiting the Plymouth Online Directory Citizens Advice Plymouth - Plymouth Online Directory or by phoning 0808 278 7910