AdviceUK members and MPs gathered at the House of Commons yesterday for a special parliamentary reception to officially launch of the Advice Saves campaign in the first ever Advice Week.
The event was an opportunity to highlight the life-transforming impact of the independent advice centres and the challenges facing the sector. As the Chancellor prepares to unveil the budget next week, the timing of the event was crucial. It was a chance to raise awareness of the funding challenges facing the sector, as revealed in our Advice Saves survey. The survey revealed a sector at breaking point with 90% reporting a surge in demand, yet 6 out of 10 fearing they will be forced to cut or reduce services due to lack of funding.
Cross-party support
More than 20 MPs from across the political spectrum attended the event engaging with advice centre leaders from across the country, including Bristol, Birmingham, Norfolk and Sussex. We were delighted to be joined by both new and long standing MPs from all political parties. Many have previously worked in the advice sector or are already joined up with local organisations who support with their case work. We are pleased that so many were willing to advocate for services in their constituencies as well as backing our policy calls in parliament.
Compelling testimonies
Liz Bayram, CEO of AdviceUK welcomed guests before introducing speakers Anna Brown, Joint CEO, Talking Money, Ajit Singh Ubhi, Managing Director, Nishkam Civic Association who spoke about their critical work supporting their communities and the challenges facing their services. Edlira Alku from the Trussell Trust’s Financial Inclusion Team then spoke about the important role of food banks and presented their latest impact research that demonstrates how investment in advice services can ultimately save the Treasury money.
Attendees were also shown AdviceUK’s new film featuring staff and beneficiaries from Talking Money and Nishkam Civic Association – a powerful illustration of how advice services can save lives.
Call to action
The launch of the Advice Saves campaign marks the start of a renewed push for government action. With a newly established policy and public affairs team, AdviceUK is strengthening its advocacy efforts to ensure independent advice services get the support they need to continue their life-saving work.
Liz Bayram, CEO, said: “We are committed to working alongside our members to fight for sustainable funding solutions. This event was a fantastic opportunity to strengthen the voice of AdviceUK members and call for action so that advice services, which are lifeline to people in crisis, can continue their life-transforming work.”
