Loading
There is no summary of this meeting yet. One is written once the council publishes the minutes. The agenda and papers are below.
Response by Head of Service: Thank you for your question. The Money Advice Team delivers a holistic, resident-focused service aimed at strengthening financial wellbeing across Powys. The team provides comprehensive welfare benefits advice and benefit-maximisation support, ensuring residents can access all the financial assistance to which they are entitled. Alongside this, the team addresses issues such as fuel poverty and energy efficiency, helping households to manage essential living costs more effectively. Where specialist expertise is required, they work collaboratively with trusted partner agencies to ensure residents receive the right support at the right time. By taking a whole-person approach — covering welfare benefits, fuel and energy support, and wider financial resilience — the team plays a key role in empowering residents and improving quality of life across Powys. In partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support and the Department for Work and Pensions, the team also provides specialist money and benefit support to cancer patients and their carers who are Powys residents. Examples of the cases and applications we assist residents with include: · Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction · Pension Credit · Attendance Allowance, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) · Healthy Start Vouchers · Childcare support, including the Childcare Offer for Wales · Foodbank referrals · Accessing fuel-poverty and energy-efficiency schemes The team also supports residents with Council Tax exemptions, discounts and disregards, such as: · Disabled Band Reduction · Severe Mental Impairment (SMI) applications · Student discounts Performance: April 2025 to 31 October 2025: supported 809 residents, securing £1.8m in financial gains April 2024 to March 2025: supported 1,312 residents, securing £2.4m in financial gains April 2023 to March 2024: supported 1,406 residents, securing £3.2m in financial gains The Money Advice Service is highly regarded and delivers significant benefits for residents, but it is not a statutory service and in many other Council areas, similar support is provided by the third sector, such as Citizens Advice Bureau. The current Money Advice team is part funded by base budget and part funded by Shared Prosperity Fund. The SPF funding is due to cease on 31 March 2026, and an alternative temporary source of funding is being explored to maintain the team at its current capacity for a further 12 months. Alongside this as part of the Council’s Tackling Poverty Programme, there is a specific project related to advice services, focussing on integrating access to money advice services within the Council, and working collaboratively with third sector partners such as Citizens Advice Powys, local credit unions and other charities such as Age Cymru. We recognise the vital role the Money Advice Service plays in supporting residents and are exploring all viable options to sustain this provision. This includes reviewing potential external funding streams, strengthening partnerships with third-sector organisations, and assessing opportunities for integrated service delivery to maximise impact within existing resources.
Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.
Declarations are read from the minutes once they are published.
The council hasn't recorded attendance for this meeting.
Lists the council's current councillors only. Co-opted members, officers and former councillors aren't shown.