Wales Co-operative Centre Financial Inclusion Project reports its findings from City Homelessness Shelter . / . Adroddiad ar ganfyddiadau Prosiect Cynhwysiant Ariannol Canolfan Cydweithredol Cymru o Loches Digartrefedd y Ddinas

A project designed to help tenants to keep control of their finances is launching its Legacy Report on Wednesday (3^rd December) in an event attended by Lesley Griffiths , Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty.

The Tackling Homelessness Through Financial Inclusion project will report on its activities and its recommendations for future actions at an event in the Huggard Centre, Hanson Street, Cardiff.

The event will be addressed by Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty, Lesley Griffiths, and the project’s manager, Jocelle Lovell.

Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty, Lesley Griffiths commented:

“The current economic climate, along with the UK Government’s cuts to welfare benefits, is having a direct impact on the security of many people’s tenancies in Wales. Strengthening people’s financial resilience is one of the most effective ways of preventing homelessness and enabling people to live stable, fulfilled lives.

“I’m pleased we have been able to support this project, which has helped Welsh families to manage their money in better ways. By working proactively with key partners, the Wales Co-operative Centre has ensured more individuals and families receive the support and advice they need.”

The Tackling Homelessness through Financial Inclusion Project is run by the Wales Co-operative Centre and has been supporting financially excluded tenants in the private rented sector for three years. Funded by the Welsh Government and the Oak Foundation, the project has worked closely with local authorities and credit unions. Following an evaluation, the legacy report being launched at the event will inform how vulnerable tenants in the private rented sector can be best supported.

The event is being hosted by the Huggard Centre, a Cardiff-based charity tackling homelessness and is seeking to overcome the problems and barriers that force individuals to sleep rough on the streets.

The Welsh Government and Oak Foundation funded Tackling Homelessness through Financial Inclusion Project has looked to encourage people in private rented accommodation to use Credit Union rent accounts to handle Local Housing Allowance payments to landlords. The project has influenced local authority policy and has led to pilot projects where participating authorities have changed their delivery and their training approaches to ensure that at-risk tenants are supported and signposted to relevant help.

The project has worked extensively with Caerphilly County Borough Council and Smartmoney Credit Union to deliver direct support to tenants. It has supported Blaenau Gwent council to map advice services and train support staff. In Swansea, the project worked with LASA Credit Union to promote the credit union rent account approach – working in partnership with the council it has promote the use of rent accounts for tenants affected by ‘under-occupancy’. The project has supported credit unions in Newport, Torfaen, Cardiff and West Wales to offer and develop Credit Union accounts.

Jocelle Lovell is Project Manager for the Tackling Homelessness Through Financial Inclusion Project. She said,

“The Wales Co-operative Centre conceived this project as a strategic response to concerns that people in financially excluded households are at a greater risk of becoming homeless. It is very apt that we are launching this report at the Huggard Centre as it illustrates exactly what is at stake for those individuals and families who struggle to manage their income and pay their rent.

“This project has been successful in encouraging local authorities and private landlords to seriously consider the way in which tenants manage their money and the possible effects of the rollout of Universal Credit. It has raised the profile of Credit Union Rent Accounts and illustrated the need for robust and relevant financial inclusion support to be delivered directly to certain groups of tenants”.

Copies of the report can be downloaded from the Wales Co-operative Centre’s Website www.walescooperative.org from Wednesday 3rd December.

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Mae prosiect a ddyluniwyd i helpu tenantiaid i gadw rheolaeth ar eu harian yn lansio'i Adroddiad Etifeddiaeth ddydd Mercher (3 Rhagfyr) mewn digwyddiad y bydd Lesley Griffiths, Gweinidog Cymunedau a Threchu Tlodi yn bresennol ynddo.

Bydd y prosiect Taclo Digartrefedd trwy Gynhwysiant Ariannol yn adrodd ar ei weithgareddau a'i argymhellion ar gyfer camau'r dyfodol mewn digwyddiad yng Nghanolfan Huggard, Hansen Street, Caerdydd.

Bydd y Gweinidog Cymunedau a Threchu Tlodi, Lesley Griffiths, a rheolwr y prosiect, Jocelle Lovell, yn annerch yn ystod y digwyddiad.

Dywedodd Lesley Griffiths, Gweinidog Cymunedau a Threchu Tlodi:

"Mae'r hinsawdd economaidd bresennol, ynghyd â thoriadau Llywodraeth y DU i fudd-daliadau lles, yn effeithio'n uniongyrchol ar sicrwydd tenantiaethau llawer o bobl yng Nghymru. Mae cryfhau cydnerthedd ariannol pobl yn un o'r ffyrdd mwyaf effeithiol o atal digartrefedd a galluogi pobl i fyw bywydau sefydlog a chyflawn.

"Rydw i'n falch ein bod wedi gallu cefnogi'r prosiect hwn sydd wedi helpu teuluoedd Cymru i reoli'u harian yn well. Trwy weithio'n rhagweithiol gyda phartneriaid allweddol, mae Canolfan Cydweithredol Cymru wedi sicrhau bod rhagor o unigolion a theuluoedd yn cael y gefnogaeth a'r cyngor angenrheidiol."

Caiff y Prosiect Taclo Digartrefedd trwy Gynhwysiant Ariannol ei redeg gan Canolfan Cydweithredol Cymru a bu'n cefnogi tenantiaid sydd wedi'u hallgau'n ariannol yn y sector rhentu preifat ers tair blynedd. Ariennir y prosiect gan Lywodraeth Cymru a'r Oak Foundation, ac mae wedi gweithio'n agos gydag awdurdodau lleol ac undebau credyd. Yn dilyn gwerthusiad, bydd yr adroddiad etifeddiaeth sy'n cael ei lansio yn y digwyddiad yn dweud sut orau y gellir cefnogi tenantiaid agored i niwed yn y sector rhentu preifat.

Mae'r digwyddiad yn cael ei gynnal gan Ganolfan Huggard, elusen yng Nghaerdydd sy'n mynd i'r afael â digartrefedd ac yn ceisio goresgyn y problemau a'r rhwystrau sy'n gorfodi unigolion i gysgu ar y strydoedd.

Mae'r Prosiect Taclo Digartrefedd trwy Gynhwysiant Ariannol sydd wedi'i ariannu gan Lywodraeth Cymru a'r Oak Foundation, wedi ceisio annog pobl mewn llety a rentir yn breifat i ddefnyddio cyfrifon rhent yr Undeb Credyd i ymdrin â thaliadau Lwfans Tai Lleol i landlordiaid. Mae'r prosiect wedi dylanwadu ar bolisi awdurdodau lleol ac wedi arwain at brosiectau peilot lle mae'r awdurdodau lleol cysylltiedig wedi newid eu dulliau cyflwyno a hyfforddi er mwyn sicrhau y caiff tenantiaid sydd mewn perygl eu cefnogi a'u cyfeirio at gymorth perthnasol.

Mae'r prosiect wedi gweithio'n helaeth gyda Chyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Caerffili ac Undeb Credyd Smartmoney i gyflwyno cefnogaeth uniongyrchol i denantiaid. Y mae wedi cefnogi Cyngor Blaenau Gwent i fapio gwasanaethau cyngor a hyfforddi staff cefnogi. Yn Abertawe, gweithiodd y prosiect gydag Undeb Credyd LASA i hyrwyddo dull cyfrifon rhent yr Undeb Credyd – gan weithio mewn partneriaeth gyda'r cyngor, mae wedi hyrwyddo defnydd y cyfrifon rhent i denantiaid y mae 'tan-feddiannaeth' yn effeithio arnynt. Mae'r prosiect wedi cefnogi undebau credyd yng Nghasnewydd, Torfaen, Caerdydd a Gorllewin Cymru i gynnig a datblygu cyfrifon Undebau Credyd.

Jocelle Lovell yw Rheolwr Prosiect Taclo Digartrefedd trwy Gynhwysiant Ariannol. Dywedodd,

"Datblygodd Canolfan Cydweithredol Cymru gysyniad y prosiect hwn fel ymateb strategol i bryderon bod mwy o risg i bobl mewn aelwydydd sydd wedi'u hallgau'n ariannol ddod yn ddigartref. Mae'n addas iawn ein bod yn lansio'r adroddiad hwn yng Nghanolfan Huggard oherwydd ei fod yn dangos yn union yr hyn sydd yn y fantol i'r unigolion a'r teuluoedd hynny sy'n ei chael yn anodd rheoli'u hincwm a thalu'u rhent.

"Mae'r prosiect hwn wedi llwyddo i annog awdurdodau lleol a landlordiaid preifat i ystyried o ddifrif y ffordd y mae tenantiaid yn rheoli'u harian ac effeithiau posibl cyflwyno Credyd Cynhwysol. Y mae wedi codi proffil Cyfrifon Rhent yr Undeb Credyd ac wedi dangos bod angen cyflwyno cefnogaeth gadarn a pherthnasol o ran cynhwysiant ariannol i grwpiau penodol o denantiaid."

Gellir lawrlwytho copïau o'r adroddiad o wefan Canolfan Cydweithredol Cymru www.walescooperative.org o ddydd Mercher 3 Rhagfyr.