Healthier Wealthier Families (HWF) began as a pilot programme in Newham and Tower Hamlets to test how embedding financial support into healthcare pathways could improve wellbeing outcomes for families in financial hardship. HWF aims to create a seamless referral pathway for families to access welfare benefits and money advice in the same building as routine health and other appointments. 

The project pilot settings included a Specialist Children and Young People community health service in Newham (SCYPS) along with a children and families centre and a community centre in Tower Hamlets. The pilot demonstrated real impact for families, leading to further investment in the service and informing the next steps in research. 

Where are we now
Additional funding in Newham has led to the service expanding to three additional SCYPS sites and perinatal mental health services to reach more families experiencing financial hardship. The approach has also been adopted in Luton. 
In addition, three year NIHR funded research is looking at the impact of money advice services on parental mental health and wellbeing and what supports marginalised mothers of newborns take up money advice. 

The evidence it works 
The programme in its pilot stage has been independently evaluated by UCL, which found a real difference is being made. Families are accessing thousands of pounds in benefits they didn't know they were entitled to. 
In the first year of the pilot:

• The highest risk families received an average of £6,103 per year as a result of money advice. This is a return of £47 for every £1 spent by the project.
• Families reported a positive impact on their financial and mental well-being.

Further information about these findings can be accessed in a published policy briefing