In-house welfare & housing advice in local foodbank

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The context

Whilst some people facing serious housing problems are in contact with other statutory agencies before they approach homelessness teams, others who are at risk may have no prior contact with public services, for various reasons. But some of those people may use community-based, low threshold services, such as foodbanks.

The Trussell Trust says hunger in the UK is not a question of food, but a question of poverty. The main drivers of foodbank use are benefit issues, changes in circumstances, ill health and a lack of formal or informal support: all factors which contribute to homelessness. One foodbank in the London Borough of Brent has been making these links since it opened in 2013.

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The intervention

Sufra NW London (Sufra) is a community food initiative, served by over 150 local volunteers, based on St. Raphael’s Estate - Brent’s most disadvantaged neighbourhood. Food poverty is linked to high rents and the welfare system, particularly the benefit cap. Over a quarter of Sufra’s guests in a typical week are in work; over half are families with children; and many live in the PRS. Brent is one of the most diverse boroughs in the UK, with over 600 languages spoken. Many guests are not proficient in English and a significant group have no recourse to public funds due to their immigration status. This includes high numbers of refugees and asylum seekers, as well as European Economic Area (EEA) nationals.

All foodbanks mitigate the impact of poverty, but Sufra explicitly aims to address its root causes at the same time. Its founders recognised the potential of foodbanks to reach vulnerable people, often those in ‘hidden’ poverty who may not be in touch with other services. But they also believed more needed to be done to help people solve the problems which brought them there in the first place. So Sufra developed a variety of other services in the same premises: services reflective of the experiences of their guests, for which there is little or no provision locally. Sufra is also well linked into statutory services, including local authority welfare and housing options and the NHS. Its aim is to connect people into support, rather than duplicate work.

Sufra offers a welfare rights service, including housing advice and advocacy, to guests using the foodbank. Advisers help with issues such as rent, Council Tax, service charges, energy advice and landlord negotiation. Advisers also provide support to people with immigration-related issues, including access to pro-bono solicitors, English classes, education, volunteering and work. Support includes help to get ID, navigate forms and applications, challenge decisions and regularise status. For people who are street homeless (often EEA nationals), the service can help directly to find and access private lets.

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The outcome

In 2019-20, over 12,300 people used Sufra’s foodbank. A third of guests received professional welfare advice, with the service obtaining £268,566 in benefits or other payments for guests. Many people accessing welfare advice also had housing problems. Last year, over half of those also received housing advice, advocacy or support  all helping to reduce homelessness risk. 46 households with no recourse to public funds were assisted to regularise their status and access services. Over 60 homeless households were supported with advice and casework, with 27 (some of whom first presented with no recourse to public funds) housed directly through Sufra’s advice service and landlord liaison work.

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Key insights

• many people attending foodbanks are entitled to benefits or welfare support they’re not claiming. This can be due to lack of awareness or understanding, a lack of proficiency in English or digital exclusion
• running specific campaigns at the foodbank and in the wider community, such as support to apply for warm homes discounts or a drive for school uniforms, can help highlight issues
• Universal Credit has generated a greater need for advice and support on various matters Housing Benefit automatically catered for in the past, such as Council Tax support and certain service charges

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Find out more…

Ros Baptiste, Advice Worker, Sufra NW London
ros@sufra-nwlondon.org.uk