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Financial Inclusion in East Sussex

In February 2010, East Sussex Advice Plus (ESAP) commissioned Nick Hopkins Consulting to deliver a needs analysis in relation to financial inclusion in the East Sussex area, and based on that analysis, and on the engagement of ESAP partners and other stakeholders, to develop thinking around potential priorities for action. At the same time, East Sussex County Council had already begun work around financial inclusion due to addressing the recession and its impacts.

The Financial Inclusion Steering Group formed to consider how to take forward elements of the Financial Inclusion Action Plan that was developed in 2010. The Financial Inclusion Steering Group has bi-monthly meetings. The action plan was revised in September 2012 to reflect progress and financial implications of reduced budgets.

The Group agreed to continue to set out a range of actions under the following key themes:

  • Improving the offer of the sector.
  • Increasing access to welfare rights and debt advice.
  • Beating the poverty premium.
  • Building financial capability.
  • Developing a ‘no wrong door approach’ to service provision.
  • Driving progress on financial inclusion.
  • Collecting consistent evidence of problems and emerging social policy issues especially the impact of welfare reforms.