By Manjeet McCartney and Sabah Noreen, Financial Inclusion Officers at Resolve Poverty
Low-income families across the North West have received a significant boost to their household incomes thanks to a pioneering financial advice scheme delivered in schools. Since its pilot, the Money Matters programme has helped over 300 families claim more than £500,000 in unclaimed benefits – an average of £1,634 per family per year, with one family seeing their income rise by a staggering £24,121.
Despite this success, the reality remains that an estimated £24 billion in benefits goes unclaimed each year in the UK due to lack of awareness or complex application processes. Money Matters, established by Resolve Poverty with the support of Kellogg’s , aims to tackle this gap by providing tailored benefit and debt advice directly to parents through their child’s school.
How Money Matters Works
For the past three years, a Financial Inclusion Officer (FIO) has partnered with participating school to guide families through the process of claiming their rightful benefits. Schools act as “safe spaces” where parents can access professional advice without stigma, helping families maximise their financial resources.
Jackie Crouch, Assistant Headteacher at Barton Clough Primary School in Manchester, shared:
“Money Matters has added an extra string to our pastoral bow, and in these times that matters. All too often it turns out that families are not receiving what they are entitled to. One family at our school is better off by £1,000 per month. Most of all we’ve seen pupils’ focus and concentration improve. Children are better able to learn when they are fed, wearing the correct uniform and unencumbered by the sorts of money worries that ought to be the preserve of parents.”
Real Impact, Real Families
Andrew Ridge, Social Impact Manager at Kellanova (owners of Kellogg’s), said:
“Through our Breakfast Club network, we saw the opportunity to help parents currently struggling on low incomes who were unknowingly entitled to far more support than they were getting. Helping parents to make sure they are getting the money they deserve impacts the whole family, putting the brakes on the growing number of children in poverty across the UK.”
Graham Whitham, CEO of Resolve Poverty, added:
“We are really pleased to share that through our work with Kellogg’s, Money Matters has been able to help families gain access to over half a million pounds in benefits. Our consistent presence at school events and activities, including parents’ evenings and coffee mornings, has been vital in helping families across the North West unlock the benefits they are entitled to. We look forward to seeing how we can further expand the programme to help even more families.”
National Recognition
Money Matters has already attracted national media attention, including coverage in:
- The Mirror: “I’d miss meals to provide for my son”
Looking Ahead
Kellogg’s and Resolve Poverty are committed to expanding Money Matters across the UK, helping more families access the billions of pounds in unclaimed benefits and ensuring that children can grow up in financially secure households. By meeting families where they are, in familiar and supportive school environments, Money Matters is creating a real, tangible impact in the fight against child poverty. If you would be interested in setting up Money Matters delivery in your area, please contact us at contact@resolvepoverty.org.
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