This report seeks approval for a contract variation to the Information and Advice Contract to maintain increased capacity to support local communities impacted by the rising cost of living.

The Ask Us Wirral Information and Advice Service plays a pivotal role in supporting residents in Wirral with a wide range of issues including benefits advice, debts, employment, housing, relationships and families, legal, consumer, immigration and asylum, utilities, phones, travel, transport, holidays, tax, education and discrimination. Demand on this service has increased due to the increases in living costs being experienced by residents across the Borough.

To meet increased demand Ask Us Wirral have received additional funding of £155,000 in 2022/23, through one-off grant funding which concludes at the end of the 2022/23 financial year.

Due to ongoing high demand for support from the service it is proposed to utilise the Public Health grant to provide additional funding to the Information and Advice Service to cover the period 1st April 2023 - 31st March 2024. The service will be recommissioned from April 2024 and the recommissioning process will consider the required contract value from this point onwards to deliver service requirements.

This proposal affects all Wards within the borough and the decision is a not a key decision.

The report supports the implementation of the Wirral Plan 2021 - 26 and its core purpose to improve equity for people and place through the provision of a pan-Wirral, commissioned service that directly supports people in need.

Resolved – that, The Director of Public Health has decided to vary the Information and Advice Contract, Ask Us Wirral, for the period 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024 to increase capacity of the service so that more residents in need can be supported.

The Ask Us Wirral Information and Advice Service plays a pivotal role in supporting residents in Wirral with a wide range of issues including benefits advice, debts, employment, housing, relationships and families, legal, consumer, immigration and asylum, utilities, phones, travel, transport, holidays, tax, education and discrimination. Demand on this service has increased due to the increases in living costs being experienced by residents across the Borough. Maintaining additional investment in this service for the 2023/24 financial year is required to ensure we are mitigating the impacts of the rising cost of living on local residents. The service will be recommissioned from April 2024 and the recommissioning process will consider the required contract value from this point onwards to deliver service requirements.

Increasing capacity within the Ask Us Wirral Information and Advice Service reflects the ongoing needs reported by local communities and is also evidenced by data therefore other options such as not providing any additional investment, although considered, are not recommended