Investment theme: Combatting Poverty and building financial resilience, Improving health and well-being
Musselburgh CAB: £30,000 over 3 years, Tampon Tax 2016: A project which explored ways of developing practical and financial skills for women who had survived abuse or had other contacts with criminal justice and which has led to some follow on funding.
Purpose: A project to improve the financial literacy of women survivors of domestic abuse and women in the criminal justice system in East and Mid Lothian and to inform social workers dealing with these women
Achievements: Sessions were delivered one day a week alternating between East and Mid Lothian Criminal Justice Social Work Teams. We delivered 5 financial capability sessions including –
Canny Kitchen – cooking a meal on a budget and costing a shopping list. It also looked at a fictional Brenda’s Budget and ways to reduce Brenda’s out-goings, then getting women to do their own budgets.
Saving Tips -bank accounts and bill payments, best ways to save, how to save, who to save with. Women shared ideas such as using your disability pass to get discounts on theatre and Fringe tickets, at the leisure centre, and in some retail shops,
Benefits: a combination of group discussions and individual help including advice on new benefits introduced. (11 individuals claimed £3450 in total)
Problem Solving: how to deal with financial difficulties, where to go for help and the issues which can progress if you bury your head in the sand.
We worked with 34 women on a 1-2-1 basis. The client financial gain for these women was £34,440.15. We delivered 2 financial sessions to 28 Social Work Staff.
Client left prison after being on remand for 8 days. All her benefits had stopped and she was without money to support her and her family. DWP had told her to claim Universal Credit which would take 5 weeks for a payment .We completed a review of her circumstances and advised her to call Scottish Welfare Funds for emergency cash and a food parcel.. After further research client was advised to reclaim all previous benefits as her Housing benefit had a Severe Disablement Premium attached to it which meant this was possible. This saved client £155.75 per week and meant she didn’t have to wait 5 weeks as previously confirmed by DWP.
Women’s Fund for Scotland has given a total of £30,000 in one grant to Musselburgh CAB. We are pleased we have been able to support your excellent work in this way. Thank you for all that you do and for choosing us as your funding partner.
