University of York Launches York Lloyds Local Collaboration Project to Tackle Local Welfare Issues

The new initiative – generously funded by the Lloyds Bank Foundation and supported by the University of York cost-of-living group and ESRC impact accelerator – focuses on developing policy proposals to improve on the ‘local welfare safety net’ across the City and region.

Over the next two years, its activities will be organised into three streams:

1. Collaboration Stream: This stream focuses on supporting partnership working across the Advice York network and the University, including a new 0.6 FTE post at the Welfare Benefits Unit to co-ordinate activities across the network.
2. Participatory Stream: Through participatory workshops and methods, this stream seeks to involve those with direct experience in shaping the focus of recommendations and the areas of focus in the project.
3. Regional Influencing Stream: Led by the University of York, this stream aims to use evidence from across York to inform policy recommendations in Yorkshire and Humber region through collaborations with Y-PERN and the York Policy Engine.

The project will initially concentrate on two main issues:

• Effective Local Welfare Provision: The team will work on enhancing the use of Local Welfare Assistance and the Household Support Fund support in the City of York.
• Increasing Attendance Allowance Uptake: The project will draw on innovative work happening locally in York to draw lessons for other areas in the region on how to increase uptake on one of the most under-claimed benefits in the UK.

Speaking about the launch, Dr Jed Meers of York Law School said, ‘we’re really excited to have the opportunity to work more closely with organisations across York – the innovative work they’re doing and the data they collect have such potential to inform social security policy across the region’.

To learn more about the project, please contact Jed Meers at York Law School (jed.meers@york.ac.uk) and Abi Willis at the Welfare Benefits Unit