Claim what’s yours

Thousands of people in Wales are entitled to benefits, but many are still unaware or unsure whether they can access them. In response to the rising cost of living crisis, the Welsh Government wanted to make it easier for families to get financial support they need. The ‘Claim what’s yours’ campaign aim was to raise awareness of the financial support available, and urge people to get in touch with Advicelink Cymru to claim benefits.

Energy, rent, fuel and food bills… it all adds up. We know how crushing financial pressures can be to every aspect of someone’s life, so we developed a relatable campaign featuring common financial worry scenarios showing where and how help is available. We featured day-to-day expenses everyone needs to deal with, from heating bills to buying school uniforms.

While dealing with a sensitive issue, for us to be able to engage with our audience in a personal and practical level it was vital we showed understanding to people’s individual financial pressures, and the campaign headline ‘It all adds up…’ sums this up, especially in the context of the alarming rise of living costs.

Targeting ‘first-time’ claimants, including those previously in work, people returning to work after maternity leave or the retired (who never claimed benefits before and don’t realise the help available to them), we had to ensure we also challenged stigma attached to claiming benefits, busting myths around who is entitled to claim. We knew it was imperative that we positioned this issue in a helpful, non-judgemental, manner.

Through a ‘hero’ film on TV and a series of case studies ‘hub’ films promoted on social media, we encouraged people to call a free helpline to get in touch with Advicelink Cymru, a Welsh Government-funded Citizens Advice service, and claim what’s theirs.

While it can be quite daunting to even know where and how to begin to check eligibility and apply for benefits, Advicelink Cymru aim is to make it easier for people to navigate the claiming process. They helped 62,000 people in Wales last year (2021) and 9/10 people who used the services said it helped them find a way forward. So, we also created ‘hub’ films for digital and social media featuring Advicelink Cymru’s knowledgeable, friendly, and approachable advisors doing just that.

We also ran advertorials on WalesOnline to drive further awareness and reposition getting support through claiming benefits as something that could affect anyone as their circumstances change.

This was a national integrated campaign including OnDemand TV, outdoor posters (e.g. bus shelters, bus rears), digital and a leaflet door-drop targeted to most deprived postcodes in Wales.