“As we ring in the new year, I’d like to reflect on what has been a busy year for FFBS, our clients and our suppliers.
In January we launched our new, upgraded portal – bringing new features, enhanced reporting functionality and greater security for clients. We were delighted to renew our relationship with North Yorkshire Council earlier this year, having worked together to deliver their Local Assistance Fund since 2019. We also expanded our end-to-end offering, partnering with Orbit to administer their Better Days Programme.
Summer brought with it a change of government and we conducted our annual client survey. 100% of clients who responded to our survey said they were satisfied or very satisfied with FFBS, and for the third year in a row our customer satisfaction was rated ‘excellent’ with a Net Promoter Score above 75. More importantly, we’ve listened to client feedback, extending our product offering this year to include Amazon vouchers, home vouchers and finding an alternative flooring solution after Carpetright sadly went into administration.
In November, we were thrilled to be featured on BBC Children in Need’s appeal night, alongside our supplier TFS, highlighting the importance of the Emergency Essentials Programme and the difference it makes to families in crisis. We’ve also had a lot to celebrate as for the second year in a row we were named in the NatWest and Pioneer’s Post SE100 as a Top 100 UK Social Enterprise, and this year we were also nominated for the ‘Public Services Social Enterprise of the Year’ award by Social Enterprise UK.
Most importantly, 2024 has been a year of continuing to deliver vital support in partnership with our clients – whether that’s distributing the Household Support Fund with local authorities or delivering cost of living support with housing providers and charities.
Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, we know that the political and grant making landscape will remain challenging for grant-giving organisations. This year our clients will be dealing with the impact of National Insurance Contribution increases, navigating the legislative changes that come with the new Procurement Act, and continuing to face uncertainty about the future of funding – all of this against the backdrop of increased demand from beneficiaries in need of vital support. We want to reassure our clients that we are here to support them and their beneficiaries through whatever challenges arise in 2025.
I would like to wish all our clients, suppliers, and my FFBS colleagues a very happy New Year. Here’s to another year of working together to deliver vital support to people in need.”
Phil Henderson, Director of FFBS