Jane Hutt, Deputy Minister and Chief Whip
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
I am issuing this statement to update Members on our continued financial support for Advice Services.
In the written statement, which I issued on the 24 April 2019, I announced that £8.04 million in grant funding was being made available through the Welsh Government’s new Single Advice Fund for the provision of social welfare advice services during the period 01/01/2020 – 31/12/2020. Using research, commissioned by the Welsh Government (Modelling the need for advice on social welfare topics in Wales - 2017) on the need for social welfare advice in Wales, the available funding has been allocated to 6 regions and a national remote advice service.
The commitment within the Information and Advice Action Plan for Wales, for Welsh Government to use its grant funding to support strategically planned, cost effective, collaborative and integrated social welfare advice services, is being fulfilled through the implementation of the Single Advice Fund.
The Single Advice Fund open grant application process was launched on the 24 April 2019 and bidders had a 12-week period to submit their proposals for funding. 36 bids for funding were received and I thank all the bidders who submitted their proposals. All the bids were appraised against an objective scoring criteria to determine how effectively a proposed service delivery model would meet the key objectives of the Single Advice Fund.
I appreciate that those service providers whose bids have been unsuccessful, will be extremely disappointed. However, the total amount of funding requested exceeded the available funding and, in an open grant process, the Welsh Government cannot guarantee to grant awards to every bid. I trust the bidders whose proposals were not successful this time, will not be deterred from submitting proposals for grant funding in the future.
Through the Single Advice Fund, the Welsh Government has awarded grant funding to a number of advice consortia (a consortia is a collaboration of Advice Delivery Partners and Access Partners. Full details of the partners involved in each of the Networks is attached for information at Appendix 1.) who submitted bids that embraced the Welsh Government’s ambition for providers to develop collaborative proposals for innovative service delivery models. These delivery models will not only resolve a person’s social welfare problem, but will also offer them access to services that will build their capability and confidence and develop their resilience to prevent future social welfare problems.
The advice consortia will deliver their services through a range of engagement channels (face-to-face, telephone and web-based). The majority of the service delivery in the 6 regions will be face-to-face, through locations in the heart of local communities, where providers will reach those groups who traditionally face additional barriers in accessing help.
Officials will closely monitor the performance of the advice consortia to ensure that providers demonstrate the effectiveness of their services by reporting against a comprehensive suite of key performance measures.
Conclusion
The uncertain economic climate that lies ahead, together with the ongoing implementation of the UK government’s Welfare Reform programme, will increase demand on advice services across Wales. The services delivered by the advice consortia will help the Welsh Government ensure that we are developing a social welfare advice sector in Wales where resources are used as effectively as possible and quality-assured providers are delivering joined-up services that attain the most sustainable outcomes for those in need of advice.
Appendix 1
|
Funding Opportunity Region 1 |
Provider(s) Involved |
|
Community Focused Advice Services |
Advice Network Cwm Taf Lead Partner Citizens Advice Cymru Advice Delivery Partners Citizens Advice Bridgend; Citizens Advice Merthyr Tydfil; Citizens Advice Rhondda Cynon Taf; Shelter Cymru. Access Partners Barnardo’s Cymru; Cwm Taf Care and Repair. (Additional partners will be identified through the Partnership Development Fund) |
|
Specialist Advice Services |
Advice Network Cwm Taf Lead Partner Citizens Advice Cymru Advice Delivery Partners Citizens Advice Bridgend; Citizens Advice Merthyr Tydfil, Citizens Advice Rhondda Cynon Taf; Shelter Cymru; Citizens Advice Newport; SNAP Cymru. Access Partners Barnardo’s Cymru; Cwm Taf Care and Repair. (Additional partners will be identified through the Partnership Development Fund) |
|
Funding Opportunity Region 2 |
Provider(s) Involved |
|
Community Focused Advice Services |
Advice Network Mid-West Lead Partner Citizens Advice Cymru Advice Delivery Partners Citizens Advice Powys; Citizens Advice Ceredigion; Citizens Advice Pembrokeshire, Citizens Advice Carmarthenshire, Shelter Cymru. Access Partners (To be identified through the Partnership Development Fund.) Kaleidoscope, Pembrokeshire People 1st |
|
Specialist Advice Services |
Advice Network Mid-West Lead Partner Citizens Advice Cymru Advice Delivery Partners Citizens Advice Powys; Citizens Advice Ceredigion; Citizens Advice Pembrokeshire, Citizens Advice Carmarthenshire; Citizens Advice Newport, Shelter Cymru, SNAP Cymru. Access Partners (To be identified through the Partnership Development Fund.) to include Foodbanks, Family Centres, Youth and Community Centres, Mencap, Ceredigion Independent Living Centre, Hafal / Crossroads, Bristish Red Cross |
|
Funding Opportunity Region 3 |
Provider(s) Involved |
|
Community Focused Advice Services |
Advice Network North Wales Lead Partner Citizens Advice Cymru Advice Delivery Partners Citizens Advice Conwy; Citizens Advice Denbighshire; Citizens Advice Flintshire, Citizens Advice Gwynedd; Citizens Advice Wrexham, Citizens Advice Ynys Môn. Access Partners Women’s Aid, DASU North Wales; Denbigh Youth Project, Age Connects; Alzheimer’s Society; Royal British Legion, Conwy and Denbighshire Mental Health Advocacy Project, Carers Outreach/Crossroads, North East Wales Carers Information Service, CAIS, Remploy; EYST; Home-Start; Gorwel. |
|
Specialist Advice Services |
Advice Network North Wales Lead Partner Citizens Advice Cymru Advice Delivery Partners Citizens Advice Conwy; Citizens Advice Denbighshire; Citizens Advice Flintshire; Citizens Advice Gwynedd, Citizens Advice Wrexham; Citizens Advice Ynys Môn, Shelter Cymru, SNAP Cymru. Access Partners DASU North Wales, Women’s Aid, Denbigh Youth Project; Age Connects, Alzheimer’s Society; Royal British Legion; Mind Conwy, Denbighshire and Vale of Clwyd; Conwy and Denbighshire Mental Health Advocacy Project; Carers Outreach/Crossroads; North East Wales Carers Information Service; CAIS; Remploy; Gorwel; ARC Communities Colwyn Bay; EYST; Home Start. |
|
Funding Opportunity Region 4 |
Provider(s) Involved |
|
Community Focused Advice Services |
Advice Network Gwent Lead Partner Citizens Advice Cymru Advice Delivery Partners Citizens Advice Caerphilly Blaenau Gwent; Citizens Advice Monmouthshire; Citizens Advice Newport; Citizens Advice Torfaen; Shelter Cymru. Access Partners Barnardo’s; Families First; Alzheimer’s Society; Care and Repair; Community Connectors, Aneurin Bevan Health Board (ABHB) Community Connectors; Social Prescriber, Mind (Gwent, Caerphilly and Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent), RNIB; Carers Trust; Supporting People; Communities for Work, Gwent Drug and Alcohol Service. |
|
Specialist Advice Services
|
Advice Network Gwent Lead Partner Citizens Advice Cymru Advice Delivery Partners Citizens Advice Caerphilly Blaenau Gwent; Citizens Advice Monmouthshire, Citizens Advice Newport; Citizens Advice Torfaen; Shelter Cymru; SNAP Cymru. Access Partners Barnardo’s; Families First; Alzheimer’s Society; Care and Repair, Women’s Aid (Gwent), Community Connectors, Aneurin Bevan Health Board (ABHB) Community Connectors; RNIB; Carers Trust; Supporting People; Communities for Work, Gwent Drug and Alcohol Service. |
|
Funding Opportunity Region 5 |
Provider(s) Involved |
|
Community Focused Advice Services |
Advice Network Cardiff and Vale Lead Partner Citizens Advice Cymru Advice Delivery Partners Citizens Advice Cardiff and Vale; Speakeasy Law Centre. Access Partners Barnardo’s Cymru; Llamau; Vision 21; Families First, Carers Wales, Care and Repair; Alzheimer’s Society, Welsh Refugee Council, POBL Gwalia and Reach. |
|
Specialist Advice Services |
Advice Network Cardiff and Vale Lead Partner Citizens Advice Cymru Advice Partners Citizens Advice Cardiff and Vale; Citizens Advice Newport; Speakeasy Law Centre; SNAP Cymru. Access Partners Barnardo’s Cymru; Llamau, Vision 21; Families First; Carers Wales; Care and Repair; Alzheimer’s Society; Wales Refugee Council; POBL Gwalia and Reach. |
|
Funding Opportunity Region 6 |
Provider(s) Involved |
|
Community Focused Advice Services |
Advice Network Swansea Neath Port Talbot. Lead Partner Citizens Advice Cymru Advice Delivery Partners Citizens Advice SNPT; Age Cymru West Glamorgan; Shelter Cymru. Access Partners Barnardo’s; Action for Children; Carer’s Centre NPT and Swansea; Swansea Autism Movement; NAS Swansea; Age Connects, Dove (mental health), Gofal (mental health), Hafal (mental health), Care and Repair; Caer Las. Wallich, Maggie’s, EYST, Coastal HA |
|
Specialist Advice Services |
Advice Network Swansea Neath Port Talbot. Lead Partner Citizens Advice Cymru Advice Delivery Partners Citizens Advice SNPT, Shelter Cymru; SNAP Cymru; Citizens Advice Newport. Access Partners Barnardo’s; Action for Children; Carer’s Centre NPT and Swansea; Age Connects, Age Cymru; EYST; Dove. |
|
Funding Opportunity |
Provider(s) Involved |
|
Pan-Wales Remote Service |
Remote Advice Network Cymru Lead Partner Citizens Advice Cymru Advice Delivery Partners Citizens Advice Cardiff & Vale; Citizens Advice Caerphilly Blaenau Gwent;; Shelter Cymru; SNAP Cymru; Citizens Advice Newport. Access Partners Barnardo’s Cymru; Tenovus Cancer Care Care & Repair Cymru; Welsh Women’s Aid; Trussell Trust; Carers Wales; Alzheimer's Society. Referral Partners Travelling ahead, Stonewall Cymru, EYST, End Child Poverty Network, Discretionary Assistance Fund |