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More and more employees across all services are dealing with families experiencing poverty in the Falkirk Council area.

Thousands of households face real difficulties in making ends meet as recent changes to the benefits system continues to make an impact locally.

As part of #challengepoverty week (between 7 and 13 October) Council staff will join up with many local partners to help make people aware of the support available.

This includes using our online entitlement calculator; local support services map; support organisations such as Falkirk’s Citizens Advice Bureau; The Poverty Alliance; as well as sources of affordable finance like Falkirk and District Credit Union and Conduit.

In addition to these support services, people can be encouraged to visit Falkirk Council Advice and Support Hubs to get face to face direction on to other services.

Fairer Falkirk manager Sally Buchanan said: “Poverty is on the increase across the Falkirk area and it is estimated that there is around £52m in unclaimed benefits every year locally.

Falkirk Council employees can make a real difference by learning what advice and support services are out there and how they can help make a difference to a family living in poverty. They can also sign up for a short online financial capability training course via Ollie on the Council’s intranet.”

For more information get in touch with fairerfalkirk@falkirk.gov.uk and find out how you can make a difference.