Residents have gained more than £6m as a result of a financial inclusion service provided by not-for-profit provider Anchor.
Through Be Wise, Anchor’s free and impartial financial inclusion service, residents across the UK have been supported to maximise their income by receiving advice on matters such as benefits, energy bills, budgeting, income and expenditure, basic debt management advice, and easing cost-of-living pressures.
Over 3,500 residents have been supported by financial inclusion advisors from Be Wise to maximise their income for an estimated combined total of more than £6m over the financial year, with each resident gaining on average £8,000 each.
A resident support fund made available through Anchor’s Be Wise service has also helped residents access a wide range of essential household items enabling them to buy food, pay energy bills and purchase home essentials such as carpets and white goods.
Sam Scotcher, financial inclusion manager for Anchor, said: “Anchor’s Be Wise service is free to all residents and its purpose is to assist those who are experiencing periods of hardship and to provide support where needed and to maximise their income.
“We are a very diverse team, with colleagues from different ethnicities, faiths, age groups, gender and sexuality and those who speak different languages which enables us to reach a wide range of people and tailor our services to meet individual people’s needs.”
