Denbighshire County Council unlocks over £2 million for residents in 8 months using data

To meet its corporate objective of addressing poverty and inequality, DCC required a fiscally responsible, proactive method to identify vulnerable households and connect them with the correct resources.

As part of a Wales-wide initiative to use data to improve income maximisation, Denbighshire implemented the LIFT platform. This enabled the council to consolidate administrative datasets, including Universal Credit, Council Tax Arrears, and Housing Benefit information, into a single dashboard.

Using LIFT the council delivered eight highly targeted, proactive campaigns:

1. 1. Pension Credit take up campaign: Targeted households eligible for but not claiming support, signposting residents to Citizens Advice Denbighshire for application assistance
   2. Attendance Allowance take up campaign: Identified 552 households for targeted letters and follow up phone calls in partnership with Citizens Advice Denbighshire
   3. Disability benefits take up campaign (PIP LCWRA): Encouraged residents with long-term health conditions to check eligibility, using ward-level filtering to test responses before scaling county-wide
   4. Employment support campaign: Targeted residents with complex needs through Working Denbighshire to offer wellbeing chats and holistic support pathways
   5. Welsh Water support campaign: Utilised LIFT filters to supplement Welsh Water data, identifying residents in debt to notify them of support sessions in Rhyl
   6. Free summer holiday events campaign: Partnered with Flying Start to send bilingual text messages to 900 low income families about free local activities
   7. Private rental sector support campaign: Targeted private renters with money advice sessions covering budgeting, energy, and housing via Citizens Advice Denbighshire
   8. Single parent support campaign: Applied tenure filters to identify single parents in relative poverty, ensuring they received tailored advice without being over-messaged

The council utilised LIFT’s granular filtering to create specific cohorts from the data, such as those in cash shortfall, with a few clicks. Recognising that one letter is often not enough, the team implemented a tiered engagement strategy, moving from foundational letters to rapid digital outreach via text, and comprehensive wellbeing chats for complex cases.

To remove barriers, letters listed physical drop in sessions directly to provide supportive, in person options. This approach was underpinned by close collaboration with partners like Working Denbighshire and Flying Start, allowing the council to fund targeted mailings and reinforce support through established practitioner networks.

By using LIFT, Denbighshire was able to move from broad outreach to delivering specific, tracked results. Below is the impact of the eight campaigns delivered during the pilot:

1. Pension Credit take up results: Secured 17 new claims worth £68,220 annually, providing an estimated lifetime value of £445,454 for residents
2. Attendance Allowance take up results:: Resulted in 43 households claiming a combined £169,036 per year, worth over £1 million over their lifetime
3. Disability benefits take up results (PIP LCWRA): This high value campaign saw 112 households claim £590,901 in annual support
4. Employment support results: While challenging due to resident anxiety, the campaign identified a handful of residents who signed up for employment support and wellbeing pathways
5. Welsh Water support results: Successfully identified and assisted 21 customers with over £21,000 in water arrears
6. Free summer holiday events results: Using LIFT to identify 900 households in relative poverty, the council sent targeted text messages signposting families to free summer activities; this resulted in over 500 families engaging with the invitation
7. Private rental sector support results::  Provided 384 private renters with access to essential money advice to help prevent homelessness
8. Single parent support results::  Successfully identified 442 single parents in relative poverty to provide targeted energy and financial advice

Beyond the individual campaign results, LIFT has contributed to the council’s long term objectives:

• Total financial value: The pilot delivered a combined annual value of £817,701 to residents, with a total estimated lifetime value of £2.07 million
• Social care cost avoidance: The 17 Pension Credit claims represent a potential saving of £89,250 in Adult Social Care costs, based on the estimated £5,250 cost associated with each missed claim
• Debt reduction: Use of the LIFT Outcome Tracker confirmed that between December 2025 and February 2026, 11 households moved out of significant Council Tax arrears exceeding £250

1. Precision at scale: LIFT enabled the proactive identification of hidden poverty by pinpointing eligible non-claimants and isolating specific cohorts. Denbighshire’s approach shows that even when reaching over 1,000 residents in a campaign, data driven targeting allows for highly relevant messaging that resonates more effectively than broad, generic outreach.
2. Persistence drives engagement: Engaging vulnerable residents requires more than a single contact. Denbighshire’s multi-touch model, combining letters, text, calls, and in person options, built trust and improved outcomes. Success came from the right frequency as well as using the right channels, empathetic tone, clear language, and offering flexible ways to respond, alongside opt-out options
3. Stronger outcomes through partnership: Success was amplified through a partnership led approach. Working closely with Citizens Advice Denbighshire and internal and external stakeholders, including social care and education, helped reinforce messaging, extend reach and deliver support through established relationships