Specialist Financial Advice and Income Maximisation Service for Pembrokeshire

The Council requires the provision of a free, tailored and confidential advice, debt and income maximisation service within Pembrokeshire. This service must be impartial and accessible to all Pembrokeshire residents irrespective of race, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion/belief, disability or socio-economic factors.

A core prevention activity, it should be designed as both a re-active service for those in need and pro-active service to prevent people getting into difficulties.

It must include:

• general advice on issues such as debt management and welfare benefits, housing, immigration and asylum, employment, consumer complaints and landlord-tenant disputes
• specialist benefit advice and income maximisation with specific elements focusing on clients of PCC services and outreach work e.g. in schools, health settings and other locations
• debt advice, budgeting and money management

This is not a floating support service however; the provider must be flexible in their approach to those in extreme or urgent need.

Good quality specialist advice and information leads to improvements in housing conditions, improved employment and working conditions, reduced debt and increased access to benefits and other entitlements. This ultimately results in improved health and wellbeing for individuals and their families.

Advice services, including financial and debt relief services, housing advice and benefits advice are cost-effective ways to increase incomes in low-income households. Access to generalist advice and information remains a significant requirement for the residents of Pembrokeshire.

As local people’s lives are impacted by the wider economic and political environment Pembrokeshire requires an advice service that can both react to and prepare for the changing advice requirements of those people who need the service. The provider will provide relevant, specialist, independent and confidential advice and support for service users needing assistance in this area.