Councils help lowest income families receive the support they need

28/10/26

Targeted support for the districts’ lowest income households unlocked almost £300k in unclaimed benefits for families across Babergh and Mid Suffolk last year, new figures have revealed.

Between September 2025 and September 2026, Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils’ cost of living team contacted hundreds of households identified through data as being most at risk of financial hardship. Working alongside partner organisations, the team helped many residents claim benefits and financial support they were entitled to but had previously been unable to access.

Working with over 20 partners, including Citizens Advice, health colleagues, the Department of Work and Pension, housing teams and community organisations, the team secured more than £207k in previously unclaimed support for households in Mid Suffolk and £73k for Babergh over the 12-month period. The ongoing ‘lifetime’ impact is estimated to total more than £1.3 million.

Households were targeted for help using the Low Income Family Tracker (LIFT) – a tool which combines data from multiple sources to build a picture of households' financial situations and potential entitlements to benefits, such as Pension Credit and Attendance Allowance, free school meals and holiday activities, help with housing and heating costs and disability entitlements.

Cllr Andy Mellen Mid Suffolk District Council leader and cabinet member for performance and resilience said: “When money is tight it can affect every part of life, including health and wellbeing. We have said from the outset that we would put social justice at the heart of everything we do and work cooperatively with others to help our communities and residents thrive. This shows the very real difference it can make when our teams do exactly that!”

Babergh District Council cabinet member for performance and resilience, Cllr Alastair McCraw said: “I’m delighted to see the impact that our team is having by helping those most in the need get the support they’ve been missing out on. By teaming up with local partners, we’re making it easier for residents to claim the support they are entitled to, stay well and feel more financially secure.”

The councils’ team works closely with Citizens Advice through the Accessible Advice project, ensuring households identified through LIFT have access to accredited advice and a dedicated caseworker as a single point of contact. To date, more than 100 residents have received direct support through the project, with hundreds more expected to benefit in the coming months through targeted referrals, outreach and wraparound advice.

Jess Mason, Chief Officer Sudbury and South Suffolk Citizens Advice said: "The cost-of-living crisis continues to be felt by many local households, facing difficult choices between covering essential bills and meeting everyday living costs.

“Our partnership with Babergh District Council helps identify people before they reach crisis point, ensuring they receive the support they're entitled to, which can make a meaningful difference to their financial security, health and wellbeing."

Simon Clifton, Chief Officer Citizens Advice Mid Suffolk said: “No one should miss out on financial support they are entitled to simply because they don’t know it’s available or find the process difficult to navigate.

“By working closely with Mid Suffolk District Council, we can reach residents who may otherwise go without vital support, connect them with a dedicated caseworker and provide trusted, accredited advice tailored to their circumstances. The additional income secured so far demonstrates the real difference this partnership can make.”

Over coming months, the councils hope to build on their success by further scaling up outreach work, helping even more residents through early intervention and local insight, and providing more information about accessing hardship support through the Government’s new Crisis & Resilience Fund (CRF) which brings together elements of the Local Welfare Assistance Scheme (LWAS) such as crisis payments, heating oil funding and housing payments.

If you are a local group that delivers outreach support/events and would appreciate a signposting session to help your clients, or if you would like to find out more about how the team might be able to help you, email costofliving@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk or find further information on the Babergh and Mid Suffolk websites.