In this week’s Monday Revenues and Benefits Discussion Group, we talked about cash and how important it is to provide cash assistance to vulnerable households. Gareth Evans from Cash Perks, a non-profit organization that helps get cash to people who can’t access a bank account or are dealing with financial challenges, led the discussion.
We found some interesting facts about cash usage. While during the pandemic, more people started using phones and cards for payments, now, during the cost-of-living crisis, there’s a shift back to using cash as people return to old-fashioned budgeting methods like the “jam jar” approach.
During our conversation, we also discussed the continued need for online tools like calculators and simplified ways to access benefits.
Next week, Ian Brewer will join us to talk about the work of the Bradford Credit Union, working in partnership with welfare providers and debt agencies in Bradford and West Yorkshire. It should be an interesting discussion!
The recording for this week can be accessed through this link: https://bit.ly/VNM231016.