Finance Debt and Benefits Pathway which contributes to The National Offenders Management Service (NOMS) work to reducing re-offending in the West Midlands

Useful links

Resources for officers, CAB staff, offenders and their families

Saving Gateway is a new government supported cash saving scheme called the 'Saving Gateway'. It's for people of working age who are on lower incomes, and aims to help kick-start a saving habit. The government will add 50 pence for each £1 saved into Saving Gateway accounts. People will qualify for an account if they get certain benefits or tax credits.

Experian free credit check report for offenders - (Experian presentation supporting this process)
Citizens Advice caseworkers and others who work with offenders can obtain application forms to obtain free credit reports for offenders whilst they serve their sentence.  More information here

These can be obtained in bulk by faxing 0845 234 0661, by e-mailing  and using the fax back form Please make it clear that it's free credit report forms you want. 

This is important A credit report application must include Personal Identification Document. 

Loan Shark Project - presentation made in the West Midlands on the 26th March 2009 by a member of the Financial Inclusion Partnership. 

A Load of Dosh - What families say about spending money FREE video

Thinking about how to manager your money? designed to help young offenders manage their finances.

Let Talk About Self Employment (free download) or have a look at the website  - do you want more copies? - email Jo Knight with full contact details

Let's Talk About Money - Your Money Guide - a web-based resource for offenders in the community and those inside with access to the Vitrual Campus.  Downloadable book here

Useful leaflet - Let's Talk About How to Manage your money  also available in Welsh

Real Help now for Women - where to find it when you need it useful document and website

Signposting Offenders to Financial Capacility Training, Debt Advice and Financial Services - An FSA funded publication created by NOMS

UNLOCK have useful information on insurance for offenders and insurance companies.
They also have information of bank accounts for reformed offenders
 
youthmoney - Many young people face major difficulties in reach financial independence - this site offers help and guidance.  

Newsletter, reports, etc 

The Prison Funder Directory 2010 is a guide for prisoners and ex-offenders seeking funding support for personal development and resettlement purposes produced by the Hardman Trust

An accommodation self assessment toolkit for the Socially Excluded Adults Public Service Agreement

Homelessness prevention and meeting housing need for (ex)offenders A guide to practice

Taking the Lead HM Govenrment document which explains PSA16

Lead Professional Roles to Improve Outcomes of Socially Excluded Adults (PSA16) Final Report This is a summary of the findings of a study commissioned by seven government departments (Cabinet Office, Department for Work and Pensions, Communities and Local Government, Business, Innovation and Skills, Ministry of Justice, Department of Health and Department for Children, Schools and Families) aimed at understanding what factors contribute to good lead professional practice in delivering PSA16 outcomes. Public Service Agreement (PSA) 16 is part of the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review and is aimed at increasing the proportion of socially excluded adults in settled accommodation and in employment, education and training. The lead professional role is intended to be a key element of the effective delivery of these outcomes

Making Every Adult Matter lifechanging, costeffective: Too often people with multiple needs and exclusions fall between the gaps of services to the margins of our society. This manifesto proposes how the next government, statutory services and the voluntary sector can change that for good.

Accommodation and Support Services for Women Offenders The objective of this electronic directory is to provide accurate and up to date information to Housing Support Workers to enable them to provide an effective resettlement service to women offenders, wherever they are located whilst serving their prison or community sentence. The risk assessment done by the provider at the point of referral will determine whether the referral is accepted

Naming the Parts - The purpose of this paper is to offer some comment and explanation on working definitions for various terms in use in the “financial market place” to help the process of elaborating and maturing this market place so that practitioners and the public can better understand what is going on and how they can benefit.