How Adur and Worthing used LIFT to build stronger community partnerships

Adur and Worthing Councils have shared services and a joint vision for improving residents’ lives, while continuing to operate as two distinct local authorities within West Sussex. Like many councils preparing for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), they face the challenge of managing separate data and benefit systems, which can make it harder to see the full picture of need across their combined area.

At the same time, around one in ten residents live in poverty, rising to one in eight children. The councils work closely with community partners to improve resident wellbeing and inclusion.

However, many partners struggled to identify and reach those most in need. Support often relied on self referrals or word of mouth, leaving residents unaware of what was available.

At the same time, Adur and Worthing Council had great success in identifying vulnerable residents through Policy in Practice’s LIFT (Low Income Family Tracker) platform. LIFT is a data analytics tool that makes poverty trends and benefits eligibility visible, allowing the councils to combine data from multiple separate systems into one shared dashboard, providing a single, clear view of low income households across both districts. 

LIFT helped the council deliver campaigns such as a high profile Pension Credit and Winter Fuel Allowance campaign that put over £514,800 in Pension Credit into the pockets of 132 pensioners, and £59,400 in vouchers to those just above the Winter Fuel Payment threshold. 

Recognising these results, the community partners approached the councils to understand how data driven insights could also help them identify and support residents more effectively. 

Adur and Worthing councils used LIFT to turn complex, disjointed data into actionable insights. By combining Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support and Universal Credit data with a comprehensive policy rules engine, LIFT identifies households that are eligible for benefits, as well as those at risk of financial crisis. 

Armed with this intelligence, council officers could identify the right people for each partner’s services. Each household identified received a personalised letter explaining the partnership, signposting to support, and inviting them to attend any upcoming community activities.

With a unified view of residents’ circumstances, council officers could pinpoint those most in need and connect them with the right community partners.

Working with partners, the councils used LIFT insights to launch several targeted collaborations that improved residents’ financial resilience, wellbeing and inclusion.

Reducing essential costs for vulnerable households with Southern Water

• Using LIFT, the councils identified 8,670 residents eligible for Southern Water’s Essentials social tariff. Over 4,500 residents were automatically enrolled, saving around £800,000 collectively each year
• Adur and Worthing became one of the first councils in the UK to pioneer auto enrolment for water social tariffs, demonstrating how safe data sharing can directly reduce household hardship

Promoting health and confidence with South Downs Leisure

• 230 households with children eligible for Free School Meals were identified and invited to take part in free swimming lessons, worth £42 per child
• 18 children enrolled in the summer courses, saving families £756 in total and giving children opportunities to build health, confidence and social connections

Engaging families in the community with Between the Blue and Green Festival

• Using LIFT data, the councils identified 183 households with children aged 5 to 6 and the Between the Blue and Green festival then offered them free tickets to a local film and craft festival focused on environmental awareness
• Around 20 families attended, enjoying creative activities that strengthened community bonds and promoted sustainability

Providing digital wellbeing and financial support

• With TellJo, the councils used LIFT insights to identify residents in financial hardship –  881 working age adults in poverty, 754 in council tax arrears and 444 in rent arrears
• TellJo carried out 884 digital wellbeing checks and 471 prevention calls, unlocking £146,610 in financial support and distributing 258 food vouchers worth £6,425

By uniting data across two local authorities, Adur and Worthing created a shared foundation for collaboration, making it easier for partners to reach the right people, faster. Their approach shows how data driven insight and local partnership can work hand in hand, offering a practical model for other councils navigating LGR and beyond.