Camden Council's Cabinet has approved a 12-month extension to funding for the Camden Advice Network (CAN), ensuring continued support for residents facing financial hardship.
The decision, made at a meeting on Monday, July 6, 2026, will see an additional £1 million allocated to 12 organisations within the network from April 2027 to March 2028. This extension aims to provide continuity of independent advice services while the council develops the next phase of CAN funding as part of a wider review into supporting residents' financial resilience.
The Camden Advice Network (CAN) addresses financial hardship by providing advice on welfare benefits, debt, housing, employment, and immigration. Since its inception, the CAN has been instrumental in securing over £55 million in unclaimed welfare benefits for residents and has helped reduce approximately £1.7 million in resident debt.
The 'wider review into supporting residents' financial resilience' is part of Camden Council's broader strategy to enable financial inclusion and resilience, prevent residents from falling into crisis, and create a more joined-up approach across services and in partnership with the voluntary sector. The CAN funding is being extended while this review is undertaken to design and implement the next phase of CAN funding from 2028 onwards.
The Camden Advice Network (CAN) has delivered significant outcomes, including supporting over 59,000 residents, securing over £55 million in unclaimed welfare benefits, and supporting the reduction of approximately £1.7 million in resident debt. Key lessons learned from the current program include that multi-year grant funding provides stability, supports workforce retention, and enables organisations to respond flexibly to emerging needs. Furthermore, independent, community-based advice delivered by trusted organisations is most effective in reaching residents at greatest risk of hardship, and strong partnership working between the Council and independent advice providers improves outcomes for residents while maintaining independence. These lessons will inform the proposal for CAN Grant Funding from 2028 onwards.
This decision was made at a Cabinet meeting on Monday, July 6, 2026. The full details of the meeting can be found in the Public reports pack and the Decisions.
