Sandwell Consortium has been awarded £20,000 from the National Lottery Awards for All programme. This grant will support its Welfare Advice services in Sandwell, delivered in eight community centres and at nine Family Hub sites (in partnership with Sandwell Council and Barnardo’s).

The Awards for All grant will provide training for existing and new Advisers, keeping them up to date on welfare and housing legislation, and will provide the latest online Advice guidance and software. It will also enable us to have independent quality checks and external audits of our service, as required by, Sandwell Council, the main funder of our Advice services.

This will ensure that the Advice services we deliver for Sandwell’s residents will remain at a high standard, and are responsive to changes to the UK’s welfare system, while meeting the needs and priorities of local residents. As well as benefits, housing and budgeting advice, our Advisers help residents get online and help them to find the right information and support they need. This in turn helps to build confidence, financial literacy skills, and independence.

“At a time when Sandwell residents face increasing cost of living and financial pressures, we are grateful to the National Lottery Awards for All programme, which recognises the need to support high quality advice services in our borough. This will help residents build resilience across the communities and neighbourhoods of Sandwell”. Louise Kilbride, CEO, Sandwell Consortium CIC