South Cambridgeshire District Council has supported residents with 1,000 successful benefit claims – under a scheme to ensure people claim what they’re entitled to.
The milestone has been reached just 12 months after the first successful claim. The work has secured a total of over £514,000 in additional income for residents in the first year alone, and an estimated £3.9 million over the lifetime of their claims.
It is part of the Council’s proactive outreach work - using data to ensure residents can access financial support they may have been previously unaware of, and which can make a real difference to their lives.
The Council has helped residents secure a wide range of benefits and financial support, including Pension Credit, Healthy Start vouchers, Free School Meals, Attendance Allowance, and reduced water tariffs.
The largest single area of support has been through the Household Support Fund, with 540 successful claims for families who were previously not claiming.
The success is driven by the Council’s use of the Low-Income Family Tracker (LIFT) tool. The software brings together different sets of data on low-income families, which the Council already holds, to identify households that should be claiming certain benefits but aren’t. The software covers approximately 6,500 low-income households across South Cambridgeshire.
Once a household has been identified as eligible through LIFT, Council officers then reach out directly to offer tailored support, helping residents navigate the application process.
Amongst the successes that LIFT has helped the Council to achieve are:
- Pension Credit: 113 successful claims, worth £300,169 in the first year and £3.2 million over the lifetime of the claims.
- Free School Meals: 81 successful claims, securing £12,844 in year one and £314,184 over the lifetime of the claims.
- Healthy Start vouchers: 65 successful claims, providing £21,429 in year one to help families afford nutritious food.
The Council has also hosted six in-person events to reach older residents who may not engage online, ensuring support is accessible to all. Almost 200 people have come along to one of these community events held this year. They are also a way to provide tangible support around loneliness and isolation, highlighting that the benefits of the Council’s LIFT Programme extend far beyond just the financial figures.
Cllr Henry Batchelor, South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Lead Cabinet Member for Communities, said: "Reaching our 1,000th successful claim as part of our LIFT Programme is a huge achievement, but behind every number is a person or family who was struggling to make ends meet. These benefits can mean the difference between heating a home or going without, putting food on the table, or feeling secure in later life.
“We know that asking for help isn’t always easy, so we’ve worked hard to make the process simple and supportive. The programme also shows an excellent return on investment, as every £1 invested so far has delivered over £32 directly to residents in increased income, with all claims coming at no direct cost to the Council. We’ve chosen to invest in this programme to help residents navigate the benefits system, because we believe ensuring people understand their options and get the help they need is the right thing to do.”
Deven Ghelani, Director and Founder of Policy in Practice which provides the LIFT platform, commented: “South Cambridgeshire has shown what is possible when councils take a proactive, data led approach.
“Each of the 1,000 successful benefit claims secured in just 12 months represents support for someone who was struggling when they shouldn't have been. South Cambridgeshire's success sets a gold standard for councils across the country, and we are proud that LIFT has played a part in making it happen, delivering support worth over £514,000 to residents in the first year alone, and nearly £4 million over the lifetime of these awards. This money will help people keep warm, stay independent and feel more secure this winter.
“Local authorities are uniquely placed to reach people through targeted outreach, and this earlier intervention is helping residents receive support they may never have known about.”
The Council will continue to expand its work in 2026, with a focus on using its data to identify residents who could be eligible for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and contacting them to support them to apply. This will ensure even more residents receive the financial support they need.
Although there have been no reported incidents of scams purporting to be part of this programme, the Council is reminding residents that if they are ever in any doubt about the authenticity of a letter or a phone call – they can call the Council direct on 01954 713 000. For more information on how to spot a scam, support and advice is available.
The milestone of 1,000 successful benefit claims being supported comes just after the District Council confirmed a budget of £449,000 was approved to help South Cambridgeshire residents through the next two years of cost-of-living financial pressures.
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