The Food Insecurity Pilot was delivered from 1st June 2023 to 30th November 2023. The pilot was delivered across 9 areas and 11 Citizens Advice Bureaux.
The CAB issued shopping cards and cash grants to those experiencing severe hardship, alongside the offer of holistic advice. The objectives were to offer an immediate and dignified response to the individual’s crisis, while supporting them to resolve their issue in the long term.
The pilot findings show the approach was successful at meeting individual and immediate needs, providing a dignified response to a crisis situation while enabling access to long term issue resolution:
> Of the 567 clients who completed the client survey, 44% of those who received a card and 71% of those who received a grant reported it gave them more choice.
> Of the 30 clients who completed a follow up survey, 94% reported being satisfied or very satisfied with the service and 100% stated their needs were met at the time.
> In addition to cards and grants, holistic advice gains of over £1.9 million were achieved, resulting in an average gain of £1,259 per client. The return on investment is £7.5 per each £1 of cards and grants.
> 77% of pilot clients were advised on areas other than the pilot, with the highest being benefits (60%) and utilities (50%).
To read the full report, please download the document below.