Perth Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) places cash‑first principles at the centre of its work by ensuring that people in financial crisis receive direct, immediate, and sustainable support that prioritises income maximisation over emergency food or material aid. Our approach focuses on stabilising households quickly, strengthening financial security, and reducing the need for repeat crisis interventions. This is delivered through coordinated partnership working, early‑intervention programmes, our redesigned Crisis Support Pathway, and critically, the Support & Connect programme and FORT shared referral system, both of which have become central drivers of our cash‑first model.
A major element of our cash‑first commitment is our holistic, income‑focused crisis response. When someone presents in crisis, advisers start with a full benefits check to identify any missing or under‑claimed entitlements, ensuring maximisation of income at the earliest opportunity. This often uncovers unclaimed payments such as housing or child‑related benefits, delivering an immediate uplift to household budgets.
Where additional support is required, we prioritise cash‑based assistance such as crisis grants, discretionary funds, or charitable financial support. Foodbank referrals are only made once all cash‑first options have been explored. This preserves dignity, improves choice, and helps people maintain control of their own financial decisions.
The Support & Connect programme enhances our cash‑first approach by identifying unmet needs early and preventing crises from escalating. Its training across five pathways—Financial Insecurity, Housing, Wellbeing, Personal Development, and Safety—has built confidence and shared skills across more than 53 organisations already, with more training and cross-sector cohorts planned for the year ahead. This widespread training ensures that frontline workers across Perth and Kinross can spot financial difficulties sooner and intervene before a household reaches breaking point. The programme’s co‑designed screening tool supports this by highlighting key risk factors that might otherwise go unnoticed, prompting earlier income maximisation and stabilising support.
Central to both cash‑first practice and the effectiveness of Support & Connect is the FORT shared referral system. FORT has transformed how people move between services by creating a coordinated, trackable, “No Wrong Door” pathway. With over 83 partner organisations now on‑boarded, individuals no longer face confusing referral processes. Instead, advisers can make warm, direct referrals to the most appropriate service, reducing delays that often worsen financial insecurity. FORT ensures people receive the right intervention at the right time. This could be income maximisation, benefits advice, housing support, energy help, or mental health assistance, thus making it a cornerstone of our cash‑first delivery.
We also run co‑located outreach sessions with organisations based in rural and urban settings in the area (The Neuk, Letham Hub, Crieff Connexions, and Buttons & Bows Babybank), which further strengthens early access to cash‑first support by placing advisers in safe community settings where needs are often first identified.
Overall, Perth CAB promotes cash‑first approaches by embedding income maximisation, early-intervention, and coordinated referral pathways throughout all services. Through Support & Connect and FORT, we are building an integrated system that reduces crisis demand, strengthens financial resilience, and supports long‑term stability across Perth and Kinross.
What are some of the challenges you are facing in implementing cash first?
Partnership work is complicated and it takes time to bring everyone along on the journey. Having a dedicated Partnership Coordinator has been instrumental in helping to build and maintain these relationships. In many cases, this approach has also required a change in behaviour, which needs management/leadership buy-in and ongoing support. We have been working to develop training that will help to support managers/leads to implement organisational change and to advocate for the benefits to the wider community. Long-term funding for real change is often hard to come by and continues to be a challenge. Finally, there can still be confusion around what a cash first approach actually means for organisations who are not familiar with the term.
Have you used any particular resource that helped you take a cash first approach or helped you work through these challenges? If so, which one(s)?
The annual conference run by IFAN and the Trussell Trust has been great for making connections and sharing best practice. Similarly, resources provided by these organisations are helpful to explain the message and gather useful data and insights.
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone who wishes to implement a Cash first approach for the first time?
The most important advice when implementing a cash‑first approach for the first time is to stay flexible and open to change. No model works perfectly from day one, so build in time to reflect, learn, and adapt as challenges arise. Cash‑first systems rely on strong partnerships, and not every organisation will move at the same pace—so patience is essential. Focus on building trust, communicating clearly, and celebrating small wins along the way. Remember that meaningful cultural change takes time, but consistency, collaboration, and a willingness to adjust your approach will make the system stronger and more effective.
What have you learned from your implementation of cash first approaches?
Implementing cash‑first approaches has taught us that people feel more supported and secure when systems are built with their dignity, confidence, and voice in mind. We’ve learned that taking time to listen, really listen, helps us understand what individuals need to feel stabilised and in control. Trust is key. When people feel believed and supported, they engage more fully and are more likely to take up help from services. We’ve also seen how important relationships are across organisations. When staff feel connected, informed, and confident, clients receive smoother, quicker support. Ultimately, cash‑first approaches work best when compassion and human connection help guide every decision.
