Shropshire Council contacts over 25,000 residents with cost of living support
Shropshire Council has reached a milestone in the number of proactive contacts they have made with residents as part of their cost of living campaign.
Since October 2022, customer service advisers have made almost 10,000 outbound phone calls to check how residents are managing the cost of living and to make them aware of support that is available, from discounts and benefits to resources and support in the community.
Shropshire Council’s proactive initiatives have also included over 15,000 contacts through email, welfare support and Shropshire Local face-to-face groups, bringing the total number to over 25,000.
Chris Westwood, Shropshire Council’s service delivery and improvement manager, reflects on the impact of the team’s commitment:
“A collaborative effort across the council, and with our voluntary and community partners, has helped us to deliver a huge amount of cost of living support to residents in the county. We have had great feedback from the scheme, and have seen positive outcomes for people who had been struggling.
“We made a phone call to an elderly person, identified through data held by the council, and found that he needed support but didn’t know how to find it. We were able to talk him through the cost of living checklist, and referred him to Keep Shropshire Warm to help with energy bills when we found out this was a worry for him.
“After a good chat, our adviser was also able to refer him to a befriending service. We know that loneliness and isolation are concerns for some residents, especially in rural areas, and are hopeful that this will make a real difference to him.”
Gwilym Butler, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for finance and corporate resources, said:
“The cost of living campaign, from Shropshire Council and our partners, helps people to find a whole range of help that they may not already be aware of. The website is a great place for people to start, but some who are struggling the most may not be able to access it this way.
“By taking the initiative to make phone calls and meet people face-to-face, the council and their partners have been committed to sharing the support as widely as possible. I know that this is appreciated by lots of people in our community, and the excellent work is still ongoing.”
