Reaching the residents who need it most: Richmond and Wandsworth deliver over £30 million in extra support

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils set out to identify low income households who were eligible for support but not claiming it. Many residents were missing out on vital help, from Pension Credit and Attendance Allowance to Water Social Tariffs and Free School Meals, simply because they did not know they qualified. The challenge was to understand who needed support, reach them proactively and ensure families across the boroughs could access the full range of financial assistance available to them.

LIFT provides the councils with a clear, data driven picture of households who may be entitled to additional support. By identifying residents who might otherwise be overlooked, LIFT enables targeted campaigns that connect people with the help they are eligible for.

The councils use LIFT to understand potential entitlements, spot households at risk, and design outreach that speaks directly to residents’ needs. This data led approach supports a consistent, financially sound strategy for delivering help where it will have the greatest impact.

The councils’ proactive use of LIFT has delivered substantial financial gains for households:

• 262 residents were supported onto Water Social Tariffs, saving £67,560 per year
• A wider partnership with Thames Water enabled 1,579 more households to access water support, delivering an additional £664,074 annually
• 557 households successfully claimed Pension Credit, resulting in an estimated £23.8 million lifetime gain
• 212 residents claimed Attendance Allowance, with a projected £6.2 million lifetime benefit
• 881 pupils were enrolled in Free School Meals, helping families save £190,687 per year while generating £1.38 million annually in Pupil Premium for schools
• 171 households applied for Healthy Start, unlocking an estimated £46,419 in lifetime support
• LIFT also powered engagement with the boroughs’ Access for All scheme, contributing to 30% of all new sign ups and helping grow membership to more than 8,000 residents

Together, these outcomes represent over £30 million in financial support for households across Richmond and Wandsworth.

One of the council’s key achievements has been the scale of benefit take up and targeted financial help delivered through LIFT driven campaigns. By combining local expertise with the platform’s data insights, the Councils have consistently reached residents who would otherwise have missed out on essential support. This work has reduced household costs, strengthened financial resilience and helped families access the entitlements needed to maintain stability.