Promoting financial inclusion: an assessment of initiatives using a community select committee approach

Despite growing interest in finding ways of overcoming financial exclusion, there has been little consultation with the people for whom these initiatives are intended. This study gave those directly affected by financial exclusion the opportunity to assess various initiatives designed to meet their needs. The project used an innovative consultation process, ‘community select committees’, modelled on the evidence sessions of Parliamentary select committees.

The project:

• Explores the needs of financially excluded people in relation to money management, financial information and advice and savings and assets;
• Examines how far current and proposed initiatives meet these needs; and
• Gives detailed practical guidance for others wishing to use the community select committee approach to consultation.

The research was based on four community select committees each with 10-12 people on low incomes who were the intended beneficiaries of policies relating to asset-based welfare and money management.

Promoting financial inclusion: an assessment of initiatives using a community select committee approach (Full report) (PDF, 218kB)
Assessing financial products for people on the margins of financial services (Research summary) (PDF, 81kB)