Kellogg’s and GMPA launched a report on the pilot Money Matters programme at a roundtable in Parliament hosted by Stretford and Urmston MP, Andrew Western.
The report highlights the success of the programme with families receiving tens of thousands of pounds as part of a scheme to match them to benefits they are entitled to but did not claim.
A limited pilot of the Money Matters programme helped 104 families. Each received an average of £1,567.
Roundtable attendees urged government to go further and support a wider roll out to help struggling families access money they are missing out on.
Money Matters, a partnership between Kellogg’s and Greater Manchester Poverty Action (GMPA), funded independent benefits advisors in schools to help reach families who would otherwise not access support. Between 4 July 2022 and 11 September 2023, Money Matters has been successfully piloted in seven schools helping 104 families unlock £163,009 in unclaimed benefits. The advisors reached parents via coffee mornings, school events and drop-in sessions.
Now Kellogg’s and GMPA are calling on the government to roll out a pilot of Money Matters to the 10 Local Authorities with the highest rates of relative child poverty.*
Greater Manchester Poverty Action estimates that hundreds of millions of pounds worth of benefits are going unclaimed in the city region each year. This includes everything from people eligible for Universal Credit, but not claiming it to people not taking up support with things like childcare costs and council tax. There are many reasons why people don’t access all the benefits they are entitled to including the complexity of the benefits system, challenges in accessing benefits in the past and a lack of awareness of the benefits that are available to them.
Jo Churchill MP, Minister for Employment, said:
“It’s good to see more families accessing the key support to which they’re entitled. We remain committed to helping vulnerable households and raising awareness of the help available.
“There are 1.7 million fewer people living in absolute poverty – including 400,000 fewer children – than in 2010. The independent benefit calculators on gov.uk and the free Help to Claim support from Citizens Advice are available to help assist people to check their eligibility and claim Universal Credit.”
Chris Silcock, Kellanova UK&I managing director said:
“One of the most effective ways to combat food poverty in the UK is to address the root cause: financial insecurity, and we were keen to find ways to help through our longstanding breakfast club programme.
“Money Matters is a remarkable initiative that is changing lives and enhancing people’s financial security by helping them access the support that already exists.
“We hope the government will recognise the potential of this programme and support the rollout of Money Matters nationwide.”
Graham Whitham, CEO Greater Manchester Poverty Action said:
“Money Matters has illustrated the importance of delivering advice and support in trusted settings. In the context of the Cost-of-living Crisis and a benefits system beset by barriers and complexity, getting a trained advisor to work with people to maximise their income has never been more important.
“By working in partnership with schools Greater Manchester Poverty Action, supported by Kellogg’s, has been able to transform the financial wellbeing of families. We believe this approach needs to be replicated in low-income areas across the county”.
