Families in Sunderland are being offered more opportunities to access advice and support at convenient locations and times across the city.
Sunderland City Council is continuing its partnership with Citizens Advice Sunderland to deliver the Advice in Schools and Community Settings scheme for a further two years, following the success of its first phase in 2025.
The project brings Citizen’s Advice into schools and other community buildings to offer help with things like housing, employment and welfare rights in convenient, familiar and trusted settings.
The project, which launched in the city last year, is being funded once again by the North East Combined Authority. In the previous delivery period, the project secured almost £3 million in financial gains for Sunderland families through unclaimed benefits and debt write-offs.
Through the scheme, residents can access welfare benefits advice – including support with benefit claims and appeals – debt advice, housing support, legal advice, and help accessing financial support. There is also a Financial Wellbeing offering through the project, which holds workshops for further advice.
Cllr Michael Butler, Sunderland City Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Child Poverty and Skills, said:
“Families can miss out on vital benefits or struggle with debt simply because the welfare system can be difficult to navigate and they don’t know where to turn. By bringing advice and support to schools and community settings, we’re making sure help is available in places where families already feel comfortable and connected.
“We hope this approach makes accessing support even easier, offering one less worry for families. Ultimately, greater financial stability can help reduce stress and allow parents and carers to focus on children’s education and overall wellbeing.”
Denise Irving from Citizen’s Advice Sunderland said:
“We’re absolutely delighted that the Advice in Schools and Community Settings Project has been funded for a further two years. This programme makes such a real difference to families by bringing advice and support directly into the places people already trust. We feel incredibly fortunate to be able to continue this work and to keep supporting our communities in such a practical and accessible way.”
The scheme aligns with Sunderland City Council’s Child Poverty Strategy, which sees the council work with partners in health services, housing, education, and businesses to create a city where children and families are supported to thrive at every stage of life.
