Can you tell us a bit more about Clean Slate and how they support people?

What we’re trying to do is get people talking about how their money situation is, how their benefits are working out for them. We try to get them to look into budgeting, which is often a tricky subject, try to track where they’re spending money at the moment and try and help them improve that. We try to get people to really understand where their money is going. That’s the most important step before we can help turn things around.

Are you based in the South West or National?

We currently have drop-in/face to face services in Bristol, Bath, Gloucestershire and in multiple London Boroughs. We also operate a remote service via our Virtual Support Hub for people who access those drop-ins, as well as nationally for tenants of certain housing associations. (More information here.)

We also have our Quids in! magazine, which is national. The magazine goes into all sorts of community buildings like foodbanks and housing associations buy them to give to their clients. It’s written in such a way that isn’t too intimidating. We find the hardest part is getting the information to people which gives them ways to help themselves. We go over some of the recent updates, like when benefits moved to Universal Credit, to give people an idea of what to expect. We’ve got a new tenancy guide to help with utility suppliers, for example.

If someone comes to Bath Foodbank, how would they know whether to talk with you or Citizens Advice?

What we tend to say is, Citizens Advice are good at dealing with more specific legal things. Whereas we’re more about getting people to understand their financial health, how are they spending their day-to-day money. We’re trying to have a conversation with people and help them understand their situation.

We run courses to give people that time and also offer direct support like fuel vouchers. If you have 100 bills to pay and you don’t know where to start, you’re not going to take that time to think about the little things, you’re going to be worried about the debts and your house. That’s where we get Citizens Advice involved with the big things and then we can try to talk with them about those bits that are more personal to them.

Can you tell me about the courses you run?

There’s a 5-6 week ‘money guidance’ course which is usually the most relevant to people visiting Bath Foodbank. This is a one-to-one, over the phone course. The first session will be a money health check to identify where we can best support people. Then we can put together a benefits calculator to see if there are any grants available for them and see if they are eligible for fuel vouchers.

We also have an employability course, which is one of the areas we specialise in. It gets people thinking about what they want to do for work and what they’re good at. We give support with CVs and how to sell the skills they’ve got. When you break down what people have done in certain jobs, they find they have a lot to offer.

We also run in-person group workshops at places like the YMCA in Bath. There’s one called 3Bs (being online, budgeting, banking). What we saw during Covid is that a lot of people didn’t have the means to manage their money online, and once everything shut down they were unable to access it. We show other ways to do it and how we can support them with that.

How did you personally get involved with Clean Slate?

I joined back in 2023. I was looking for volunteering to help me get out and about a bit more. I was referred to Clean Slate by my GP and Clean Slate recommended their employability course. For three months I did one day a week at Bath Foodbank which ran alongside some training. About three or four months later, a position came up and I joined the team as a support worker. I cover Bath Foodbank and some one-to-one support over the phone. I knew the Bath Foodbank team quite well by that point, so it was good to get involved again.

Roughly how many people have you seen since you started?

In the last year, I’ve picked up 98 people through Bath Foodbank. I might talk a little bit about who we are and what we do and then ask them how they’re doing at that point. And if not, is there any other type of support we might be able to signpost to, like Citizens Advice.

For those 98 people, they’ve made an average financial gain of £507. This can be in reductions in energy bills, changes in spending habits or improvements to benefits.

Can you tell us how a session might go for you at Bath Foodbank?

I typically set up our table in the hall where people sit to wait for their food parcels and try and be as approachable as I can. Then we let the Bath Foodbank team do their part with food orders. I’ll then go around and introduce myself whilst they are waiting for their parcels to see if we can have a chat.

I introduced myself to someone recently but he really wasn’t wanting to interact. Then he came another week and said, ‘actually there is something you can help with’. It’s trying to get people to grasp that we are part of the support on offer. It can be scary for people. They’re in a public place, they don’t know what’s going on and people can feel vulnerable. Sometimes just speaking with someone where I tell them, ‘you’ve got this’ can be enough. Sometimes I get to build up a relationship and they can recommend us to others they know.

How do you feel like the partnership is going?

What I made sure to do when I started was to build relationships with the Bath Foodbank staff and volunteers so they knew what Clean Slate can do for clients. When the volunteers talk to the clients and go through the food list, the clients might say they have a problem with work or whatever. The volunteer can say, ‘well Clean Slate are here today’. We can work as a better team then, to give people all the resources we have on offer.

I think the way the partnership runs right now does work and we’ve got a rapport with each other. We can send people between us where relevant, so clients can get the best support. It takes the pressure off trying to speak to all the people that turn up during that session too. We know that we’re working together as a team.

Thanks so much Ryan for speaking with me today and for sharing what you’re doing with Clean Slate. It’s so helpful to have a better understanding of how you’re supporting people at Bath Foodbank.

I don’t think I could have done an interview like this a few years ago. Going to Bath Foodbank and talking to people you don’t know, it gives you that confidence to speak to people. That’s what we’re all about really, giving people confidence and the opportunity to do those types of things.
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We always talk about helping the clients but for me it’s great to have those interactions as well. It’s really what gets me out of bed in the morning, that I know I’ll have plenty of good conversations whilst I’m there, those interactions we crave as humans.

The easy-to-take quiz helps people prepare for retirement and live long, healthy lives

Clean Slate Training and Employment, the organisation behind Quids in! Money Guidance, has announced the launch of the ‘Ageing Well Quiz,’ an initiative designed to assist individuals on low incomes in preparing for a healthier and more secure retirement. 

The project is supported by a £50,000 grant from Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency. The grant will enable Clean Slate to expand its successful Future-Proof Finance Quiz into new areas, including employment, Type-2 diabetes, and financial planning for later life.

The Ageing Well Quiz, an interactive digital tool, aims to close the information gap that often contributes to the ten-year life expectancy disparity experienced by those in lower income brackets. 

“Our starting point was that people on the lowest incomes have up to ten years shorter life expectancy,” explained Quids in! editor, Jeff Mitchell. “Our health is not only linked to our wealth because of the things we can buy. It is also about information – the things wealthier people seem to know already. But it’s also about attitude and being prepared. Many don’t see the point in getting fitter. But will we regret it when we’re no longer mobile when our bodies slow down? We hate talking about death but if our partner takes care of our finances, what are we going to do if they die first?”

The tool presents 25 straightforward yes-or-no questions that help participants evaluate their current situation and make informed decisions. Each “no” response triggers tailored advice and a manageable challenge, encouraging positive behavioural changes.


“We wanted to know the questions retired people might wish they’d considered years earlier,” Jeff added. “We heard how people don’t imagine their health going downhill. Having people around to pop to the shops when we’re ill only becomes important when we need them. A good social life is not just about helping us out, it can also give us purpose and a positive attitude.” 

More than half of the quiz focuses on financial planning, offering practical tips on checking predicted income, reducing spending, and maximising savings for retirement. Collaborating with Age UK, Quids in! has ensured the quiz addresses the realities of ageing and financial preparedness. The assessment tool tackles financial literacy while also promoting healthier lifestyles by encouraging exercise, social engagement, and nutritious eating.

The launch of this quiz represents a vital step towards empowering low-income individuals with the knowledge and resources needed to secure a healthier and more financially stable future.

The quiz can be found on the Quids in! website at qimag.uk/olderagequiz. 

Image: Krakenimages / Shutterstock

As of May, Quids in! Money Guidance, delivered by Clean Slate Training & Employment, embarks on a two year partnership with Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) in Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES). Quids in! joins CSE’s WHAM project in B&NES alongside partners We Care Home Improvements and Citizens Advice B&NES.

Quids in! will offer remote support, ranging from 2-3 sessions or 5-6 sessions depending on the client's needs, to those referred directly through CSE/WHAM or from WHAM partners via CSE.

WHAM (Warmer Homes, Advice & Money), CSE’s partnership project, offers support with energy, money, benefits, and household repairs to vulnerable residents in Bristol and North Somerset. Two-year funding from Wales & West Utilities makes it possible for WHAM to expand their program into B&NES with Quids in! and two additional partners in the area. 

Quids in! Money Guidance offers free drop-in services, workshops and online support to low income individuals. Quids in! also publishes a print and digital magazine, range of guides, personal finance emails and interactive web content. 

The partnership aims to tackle fuel poverty in the region while equipping people with the resources and tools to prevent debt and maintain a safe and happy home. 

“We are really thrilled to become the latest partners in the fantastic B&NES WHAM Project,” says Anna Dietrich, Clean Slate’s Regional Lead, West of England. “CSE helps people save money by increasing energy efficiency in their homes, which is a perfect fit alongside our Quids in! money guidance service. Together we will be able to support low income households across B&NES to save money and live more comfortably in their homes. Funding partnership projects like this are a great example that show how forward thinking of funders can make a huge difference not only for low income households but also recognising and strengthening  those strong relationships within the third sector.”

CSE will be offering support around warmer homes such as explaining bills, contacting energy providers on behalf of clients settling debts, energy efficiency support; We Care Home improvements will offer small handyman jobs like putting up curtain poles, applying for grants; CA B&NES will offer debt and benefit support; and, Quids in! will provide coaching to improve financial capability and wellbeing. 

In the last financial year, Quids in! helped over 1000 clients gain a total of £660,400 in financial gains with almost a third of the gains coming from benefits, energy savings and vouchers, and household repairs. 

The project is currently funded until December 2025.​

Residents struggling with money and their health are benefitting from a new money guidance service in South London.

Health and care partners have linked up with Quids in! Money Guidance to help residents increase their incomes and reduce their spending.

Four in 10 Londoners are living below the Minimum Income Standard, putting them at a higher risk for poverty-related health issues such as chronic illnesses, mental health issues, and reduced life expectancy.

Funded by the Mayor of London and supported by Thrive LDN, London’s public mental health partnership, the pilot programme launched in Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham on 5 February.

A targeted number of residents are being offered a money health check and guidance to help reduce the impact of financial worries on their health.

The service is phone-based to reduce travel costs and fit around participants’ other commitments.

Space to get well

The Quids in! Money Guidance offer includes magazines and guides, a website full of news and money-saving tips, a monthly email covering the latest news on benefits, employment and bargains, as well as a face-to-face support service in some areas.

Jeff Mitchell, managing director of Clean Slate Training and Employment, which runs Quids in!, said: “When every waking thought is about keeping the children fed, it’s hard for people to think enough about their health.

"Quids in! coaches give people time to pause, take stock, explore their options and shore up their finances. Once they have their heads above water financially, they have both the means and the confidence to focus on getting well.”

During the pandemic, a team of advisors took to the phones to conduct the Quids in! money health check. Some 3,000 social tenants, benefit claimants and long-term unemployed people took part. In one service, 98 per cent of participants were found to be disabled or have emotional or recognised mental health support needs.

In its 2023 Cost of Living Survey, Quids in! found that on account of money worries 73 per cent of social renters on the lowest incomes had felt frightened, anxious or depressed; 64 per cent had skipped meals; 75 per cent were turning off the heating despite being cold; and, 36 per cent had become physically ill.

In 2023, its money guidance programmes helped people access average financial gains of £1,244.

Money worries and health

The links between living on a low income and poorer health outcomes are well documented. But on top of this, Quids in! is also well aware of how simply worrying about money can impact on health.

Joanne, who came to Quids in! before this pilot started, had been struggling with her mental health. She had just £10 a month to spend on food, and dinner some nights was half a Pot Noodle.

We walked her through a money health check and she said she had a big bag of unopened post. We supported her to open the mail and discovered she’d been overpaying housing costs and had an unused gym membership.

And there was a cheque from the Widow’s Benevolent Fund. Not only did she have a windfall of £4,700, from there on she was £2,200 a year better off.

She was able to eat and an emotional burden was lifted. She was ready to access debt support and felt strong enough to begin thinking about a return to work.

Joined-up thinking

Thrive LDN director, Dan Barrett, said: "We recognise the profound impact of financial struggles on mental health.

"We are thrilled to partner with Clean Slate on this pilot to support people on lower incomes and assist those individuals through an evidence-based money guidance programme.

"By exploring and educating on health and wellbeing indicators, this initiative marks a crucial step towards an integrated approach to tackling health inequalities and creating tailored solutions for those who need it most.”

Clean Slate believes non-medical services, such as Quids in! Money Guidance, should be considered part of a broad public health system, providing holistic support to communities to help themselves be better off.

​Main image: Frankie Stone

Wish Us Luck… (And No, Not With The Football)

Tonight is the inaugural New Statesman Positive Impact Awards bash. Clean Slate is nominated for its Positive Impact in Finance trophy.

You don’t need to wish us luck as, in many ways, we’re already winners… of recognition that our small team will be represented up alongside corporates, institutions, tech start-ups and long-established change-makers. We share our category with banking App Starling, ethical financiers Triodos and health research charity the Wellcome Trust. Just to rub shoulders here is a testament to ways we made a small dent on poverty during the pandemic emergency.

In 2021 alone, we directly helped 2,000 people struggling to keep their heads above water financially. They shared about £2,000,000 of financial gains as a result. In many ways, this nomination belongs to them too because we try less to fix things for people but to give them the means to sort things for themselves. We also worked with 20 community partners and provided the tools for them to support 1,000 of their locals to boost their finances too.

For us, this was kind of business as usual. Lockdowns forced us to re-imagine our delivery methods but we’ve been supporting people in poverty since we were established in 2006. There was a blindspot in commissioners’ thinking about what it takes to alleviate financial hardship. It was either all about debt and other crisis interventions or it was political. Money management was too everyday, something for us all to sort out ourselves as individuals.

Maybe, with the pandemic, everyone felt vulnerable. ‘What would I do?’, they asked. And Clean Slate was suddenly working with social landlords, finance companies, national charities, local authorities, government departments and grant-makers everywhere. And without straying into crisis programmes or regulated financial advice, we helped people get on their feet. They not only felt able to cope but able to get on. Half the financial gains participants enjoyed were through finding work. These were often people who had felt hopeless. Now they recognised a future worth striving for. They felt in control. They knew the questions to ask and who to take them to.

I wish I could say that with the cost-of-living crisis, we’ve only gone from strength to strength. Government procurement changes have allowed the fat cats back in, with employment support agencies with no experience in money guidance snatching the low-hanging fruit from the Department of Work and Pensions. Grant-makers have returned to their old priorities. Money management contracts are awarded to crisis programmes that patch people up and send them back out, potentially only to return again.

Clean Slate had its chance to prove itself. And we totally did. The nomination for these awards might put a ratchet behind the thought leadership we’ve shown in what promoting financial resilience looks like. From a community perspective, it’s very much not business as usual. It is a profoundly impactful programme that starts from picking people up when they’ve been left behind. Whether that’s through our easy-read Quids in! magazines or through our money health-check and financial guidance programme, we’re meeting people halfway. Weirdly, that doesn’t happen often for people in hardship.

Thankfully, we’re not directly up against some of the other giants standing for awards. Martin Lewis, Jack Monroe, Marcus Rashford and Richard Ratcliffe are all up for the Positive Impact in Society Award. And our friends at the Good Things Foundation (along with Virgin Media O2) are up for the Technology Award.

So, wish us luck, but not so much for the awards. Instead, keep your fingers crossed that we can capitalise on this recognition and build new ways of working to lift thousands more out of hardship and hopefully out of poverty altogether.

www.newstatesman.com/spotlight/2022/11/the-new-statesmans-change-makers 

Metro Mayor, Dan Norris, visited Cleans Slate’s drop-in service at Manvers Street Food Bank in Bath on 7th September, to find out about a new nine-week money guidance programme on offer to local residents.

Follow the Money is funded and managed by the West of England Combined Authority, led by Metro Mayor Dan Norris, and delivered by Clean Slate.

The programme will enable 70 people to receive a personalised package of support, made up of one-to-one time with a Support Worker, options to join money and employment skills groups as well as paid experience and mentorship towards employment in the support sector. Similar projects have seen people make average financial gains of £1,000.

As part of his visit, Mr Norris met Support Worker, Bella Washbourne and Peer Worker Mark Milsom who joined the programme and went on to receive mentorship and work experience via the Elements programme.

Mr Norris said it was important to back programmes like Follow the Money at a time when so many households are grappling with rocketing bills and prices. He said: “The cost-of-living crisis is biting harder than ever, and people are desperately worried about ever-rising energy bills. I’m pleased to be able to give a helping hand to over 70 residents thanks to this £80,000 cash injection from the West of England Authority I lead.”

Clean Slate Founder and Director, Jeff Mitchell, who hosted the Mayor, added: “We are delighted to receive funding from the West of England Combined Authority which will be targeted towards people who have been hit hardest by the cost-of-living crisis. It’s great to see leadership that recognises the cost-of-living emergency facing people in the West of England right now. Many of us are worried about the bills that will land in the Autumn and our Clean Slate Support Workers are ready to guide people through a comprehensive money health check and nine-week ‘Follow the Money’ programme with the aim to make significant financial gains.”

​For more information about Follow the Money, please click here.

The West of England Combined Authority is working in partnership with Clean Slate to deliver the Community Support Fund. As part of the Combined Authority’s Recovery Fund, this fund supports residents most disproportionately affected by COVID, to achieve better economic outcomes. For more information on the Community Support Fund, please visit the website here.

​Opening Doors, a magazine originally released just before the pandemic hit, has been updated and re-launched to encourage employers in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) to think differently about recruiting people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND). The publication lays out a sound business case for considering this group, from the plethora of organisations offering free support for employers, to the evidence around retention and loyalty often seen from those with SEND. 

Opening Doors is written from an employer’s perspective by local community interest company Clean Slate, with the understanding that many employers may feel they do not know enough about working with those with SEND to make it viable. With expert input from Three Ways School, Leonard Cheshire and trailblazing employers like National Grid, the publication addresses common misconceptions and offers signposting for further support while also highlighting employers’ legal duties.

Lucy Beattie, Fundraising, Marketing and Development Manager, at Three Ways School explains the thinking behind launching the magazine: “We wanted to bring stakeholders together to see how we could inspire employers about the talent we have available in our SEND jobseekers. We see long-term, unfilled vacancies across the whole B&NES area and we have candidates who are just not being given a chance. We know it seems like a challenge but we can provide the back-up to both employers and their staff.”

Jeff Mitchell, Founder Director at Clean Slate, says: “Our message to employers is simple: If you’re screening out SEND jobseekers, you’re not only missing out on talent, you might also be in breach of the law. This guide is designed to inspire employers to think differently. Many solutions are straightforward and we’ve mapped out the steps in these pages.”

Opening Doors features case studies from people with SEND working in the wider B&NES area, as well hearing from their employers who explain their journey to date. Many employers are seeing tangible benefits such as freeing up expert staff,  better reflecting their customer base and reduced absenteeism. 

Opening Doors is available for free here.