Slide HeaderLSC Money Advice Outreach Pilots

• £6 million funding from 2005-08

• Deliver money advice to financially excluded people who would not otherwise access advice

• 22 contracts awarded

• 47 FTE caseworker posts created

Slide HeaderKey Elements

• Focussed largely on outreach venues

• Working in partnership with other organisations

• 170 venues

• Mostly face to face advice and mostly casework

Evaluation: Money Advice Outreach Pilots

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• Responsibility of Legal Services Research Centre (LSRC)

• Three evaluation phases: • multiple perspectives • variety of research methods • impact and processes of pilots

• Phase I: Target GroupsFace-to-face survey in five different outreach location types

• Phase II: Provider and Partner PerspectiveInterviews with project coordinators, debt advisers, location partners and stakeholders; case studies; dissemination workshop; follow-up research

• Phase III: Client and Target GroupsIn-depth, qualitative interviewsCost-effectiveness analysis on closed client cases

First Phase Evaluation

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• Survey of 563 people using different outreach locations types included in the pilots:

• Family and children centres• Credit unions• Housing offices• Community centres• Prisons

• Questionnaire

• Aim: Assess the suitability of a number of different outreach location types for the delivery of money advice to ‘hard-to-reach’ and disadvantaged groups

Reaching deprived and financially excluded areas or Reaching deprived and financially excluded areas or groupsgroups

• 75% interviewees lived in the top 20 per cent of the most deprived areas in England

• High proportion of people with demographics indicative of social exclusion

•Unemployment•Social housing•Lone parenthood•Illness and disability•Income below £10,000

• Financial exclusion•73% of prison interviewees•51% of credit union interviewees•32% of housing office interviewees•31% of family and children centre interviewees•19% of community centre interviewees

Results First Phase Evaluation

Reaching people who do not seek mainstream advice – ‘Hard-to-reach’ interviewees?

• Had not received advice when in real financial difficulties•31% of non-prison interviewees•90% of prison interviewees

• Of non-prison interviewees who did seek advice, nearly one third did not go to an independent money adviser but to creditors, family and friends

• Would not seek professional advice if serious money problems in the future

•16% of non-prison interviewees •22% among financially excluded

• Despite living close to mainstream advice services, many interviewees were unaware of this

•Higher percentages among financially excluded

Results First Phase Evaluation

‘‘Because it’s a professional establishment, people would know what Because it’s a professional establishment, people would know what they are talking about and people would trust the advice they gave.’they are talking about and people would trust the advice they gave.’Interviewee in a housing officeInterviewee in a housing office

‘‘Because it is a community centre, and all kinds of people are coming Because it is a community centre, and all kinds of people are coming in, it would be better to walk in here than walk into a debt advice in, it would be better to walk in here than walk into a debt advice centre. You would not stand out as much.’centre. You would not stand out as much.’Interviewee in a community centreInterviewee in a community centre

‘‘People like myself have no money to shell out for transport.’ People like myself have no money to shell out for transport.’ Interviewee in a children and family centreInterviewee in a children and family centre

‘‘The location is central. It is easy to find. They have done good market The location is central. It is easy to find. They have done good market research.’research.’Interviewee in a credit unionInterviewee in a credit union

‘‘It would take a burden off people here. And be a chance for people to It would take a burden off people here. And be a chance for people to say “I can sort things out”. A chance to speak to independent people say “I can sort things out”. A chance to speak to independent people to help sort out their problems, not the officers.’to help sort out their problems, not the officers.’Interviewee in a prisonInterviewee in a prison

Benefits of Outreach Advice from the Perspective of Target Groups

Second Phase Evaluation: First Findings

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ECOTEC/Personal Finance Research Centre

First Findings

• Outreach established where money advice not usually available

• Reaching financially excluded people who would not otherwise access advice

• Challenges of outreach work and client groups may affect ability to achieve targets

• Early engagement with partners important

• Increased awareness about money advice among partners

• Working in different types of outreach locations

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• Benefits of outreach advice• Accessible and frequently visited• Multiple advice services in one location• People trust locations they are familiar with

-> Importance of high quality advice

• Importance of closing knowledge gaps on the availability of mainstream advice: public legal education & financial capability

• Outreach advice needs to be moulded to the needs of its target groups and nature of outreach locations

• Importance of partnership working

• Findings are of interest to other parts of the community and Findings are of interest to other parts of the community and bodies that deliver public servicesbodies that deliver public services

Selected Initial Conclusions

Further Information

• First phase evaluation report available at:www.lsrc.org.uk/publications/Outreach.pdf

• Overview of evaluation approach and first findings: see Legal Action October issue, 2007

• All other evaluation reports due in spring 2008

Contact:

alexy.buck@legalservices.gov.uk

www.lsrc.org.uk

Slide Header

Lessons Learned

• Challenge of working with non-advice partners

• Engaging the excluded• Setting the right targets• Staff retention• Value for Money?