Agenda item

Jayne Hellowell, Head of Commissioning - Healthier Communities, was welcomed to provide an overview of the More Money In Your Pocket (MMIYP), website, which was one part of the Council’s response to the cost-of-living crisis.

It was noted that attendance at team meetings could be offered to provide further information on the MMIYP website to staff.   Also noted was that officers were working with a wide range of partners to share the message as widely as possible.

A QR code was provided to link directly to the website and MMIYP would be widely promoted including on Council bin lorries and on Berneslai Homes vehicles.

The website includes information such as:

·         Information on free and discounted support and links to other support websites.

·         Welcoming spaces, warm hubs which are places that welcome people to come in out of the cold without obligation to buy anything.

·         Promotion of benefits so that people that access where eligible, as there is low uptake of benefits in the borough.

·         Information on schemes from government to support people with paying gas, electricity, water and broadband bills. Schemes for free SIM cards available.

·         Free school meals, access to foodbanks, linking to initiatives such as Storehouse and Field where for £6 a week membership, members can get up to £30 worth of food. There is also close working with the Good Food Partnership.

·         Healthy, nutritious meals on a budget including recipe ideas.

·         Information on the Household Support Grant, which supports those who are low-income households and community groups.

·         Freebies and money saving ideas: such as Signing up to the library for free digital magazines and holiday clubs for children and family friendly activities

·         Broader issues around cost-of-living crisis:

o   Budgeting support – linking to support services such as DIAL, Age UK, Citizens Advice

o   Wellbeing support and low-level mental health support

o   Upskilling and job searches

It was noted that the site was owned by Barnsley Council and limited to corporate guidelines, and there was a challenge to keep information up to date, but the website provided a really good tool.

A walkthrough of the website was provided, demonstrating how easy it was to navigate and find relevant information.

Questions were invited and it was noted that the analytics that sit behind the website could be fed into Public Health.

It was noted that cost-of-living events were being held in various venues around the borough to offer help and support, and at one DIAL had provided free slow cookers to people who attended.

It was noted that much promotion was underway, and that leaflets and posters could be provided for partners to help share the message.

When queried how information would be shared non-digitally, it was noted that  training was being cascaded amongst staff and teams, which was intended to provide more information and enable teams to spread the word amongst the communities they supported.

With regards to those with learning difficulties, it was suggested that services such as Mencap could support.

It was confirmed that officers were reaching out to a wide range of partners. Including work with Cloverleaf to provide information in other languages and suggestions to link to other services were welcomed.

Thanks were given for the excellent resources provided on the site for people in Barnsley. It was seen as important to support those people who may be struggling but who usually miss out on support.

RESOLVED that the Board support the MMIYP website and agree to share this information further.