Let’s Talk Money – Debt & Housing Support Service

Overview

Caerphilly County Borough Council is seeking to appoint a suitably qualified organisation to deliver the Let's Talk Money Debt and Housing Support Service. The service is jointly funded through the Housing Support Grant (HSG) and the Children’s and Communities Grant (CCG – Families First) and is designed to support individuals and families experiencing financial instability where debt is a primary driver of housing risk, homelessness, or wider family instability. The service is referral‑led, accessed primarily through the Housing Support Gateway, and is specifically designed for individuals and families who do not engage well with appointment‑based or advice‑only services. This includes people who are homeless, living in temporary accommodation, sofa surfing, or experiencing complex needs. The Authority is seeking to appoint a suitable Provider to deliver a targeted, debt‑led housing support service for people aged 16 years and over living within the Caerphilly County Borough. The aim of the service is to prevent homelessness, sustain tenancies, and improve family resilience through hands‑on, needs‑led and practical support delivered via a single lead worker model. This includes financial capability and budgeting support, managing debt by securing viable debt solution options, and addressing housing‑related issues that may impact financial stability or tenancy sustainment. The service will provide income maximisation support, benefit entitlement checks, welfare benefit applications, mandatory reconsiderations and appeals where these relate to individuals already receiving support through the service and where debt-related financial instability remains the primary presenting issue. Referrals relating solely to welfare benefit support, welfare rights issues, mandatory reconsiderations, or appeals, where debt-related financial instability is not the primary presenting issue, will be allocated through the Housing Support Gateway to the appropriate Provider. The service is not intended to operate as an advice-only provision. Whilst advise forms part of the support offer, the primary purpose of the contract is to deliver practical housing-related support that promotes financial stability, tenancy sustainment and long-term independence. While the service promotes independence, the Provider must deliver supported actions where vulnerability, complexity or executive‑function barriers prevent individuals from completing tasks independently. Client groups (the list is not exhaustive) may include: • Individuals aged 16 years and over requiring support to manage their finances. • Individuals at risk of losing their tenancy due to financial pressures, including rent arrears. • Single people • Families with support needs • Individuals with disabilities, including mental health conditions, physical disabilities, dementia, and acquired brain injuries. • Individuals with learning disabilities or developmental disorders • Individuals with complex needs, including substance misuse. The Service must take a proactive and preventative approach, supporting individuals to build long-term financial resilience reduce debt, prevent homelessness, and sustain tenancies. Housing instability and financial instability are often interconnected; therefore, the service must address both areas holistically. This specification is outcome‑based. The Provider must deliver an effective, high‑quality service that achieves positive outcomes and demonstrates value for money. As individuals become more stable and independent, support must be appropriately tapered to reflect changing need. The service will deliver a lead-worker model incorporating: • Debt-focused housing support • FCA-regulated debt advice • Financial capability and budgeting support • Income maximisation • Welfare benefit support • Housing-related support linked to financial instability • Home visit and outreach-based engagement • Tenancy sustainment and homelessness prevention The service is designed