Social enterprise Pennysmart celebrates success of passing quality marks

Pennysmart Community Interest Company, a social enterprise, are celebrating having successfully passed both the Advice Quality Standard (AQS) and Information & Advice Quality Framework for Wales (IAQF Wales) quality marks for organisations that provide advice to the public on social welfare issues.

They are especially pleased since staff had to handle working from home and socially distancing in the office whilst maintaining full service throughout the pandemic.

Pennysmart started as a pilot back in 2009, where it was initially titled as ‘Moneysavers’.

Since 2010 though they have gone on to expand their debt, benefits and money advice services and provide service contracts to a number of housing associations, charitable trusts, third sector organisations and community groups across North Wales and Cheshire.

Press release:
Local Advice Service makes the grade in the most extreme circumstances!
We have passed 2 nationally recognised quality marks #AQS @AQSQuality & #IAQFWales for organisations providing free, independent advice to the public.@WelshGovernment @AdviceSAlliance pic.twitter.com/MdbSNNT2SE

— Pennysmart CIC (@PennysmartCIC) October 8, 2020

Jayne Bellis, Managing Director at Pennysmart CIC, was delighted with the most recent news for the enterprise.

She said: “We are over the moon to have been awarded the AQS and IAQF Wales as it shows the people using, as well as funding our service that we are working to the best possible professional standards.

“The team of staff have worked very hard to achieve the AQS/IAQF Wales during these challenging times.

“We have seen a 60 per cent increase in demand for our services during lockdown and our Board will be making sure that we maintain these high standards over the course of the year.”

The AQS/IAQF Wales quality marks are awarded by the national umbrella group, the Advice Services Alliance.

ASA’s Director, Lindsey Poole, said: “The AQS and IAQF Wales are tough benchmarks to achieve, particularly in these challenging times for the social sector and our clients and we offer our congratulations to Pennysmart CIC for so clearly making the grade.”

Pennysmart will display the AQS and IAQF Wales logos, joining the community of over 650 advice organisations across the country of AQS holders.