At the start of 2024, Fife Council, alongside eight other delivery partners, commenced a series of pilot projects as part of the Scottish Government's Cash-First: Towards Ending the Need for Food Banks in Scotland programme. The initiative was designed to reduce food insecurity and reliance on emergency food aid by providing people experiencing financial crisis with direct financial support alongside holistic, person-centred advice. By prioritising dignity, choice and early intervention, the projects aimed to address the circumstances that can lead individuals and families to require emergency food support.

Between 2024 and 2026, Fife Council delivered five locally designed projects supporting people experiencing hardship through cash payments or supermarket vouchers, combined with welfare rights advice, income maximisation support and up to six months of wrap-around assistance. Recognising that financial hardship is often linked to wider challenges, some projects also included information and learning sessions to help participants build confidence in shopping, cooking and budgeting, supporting longer-term financial resilience.

The projects placed choice and dignity at the heart of support. Participants consistently highlighted the value of receiving cash payments or shopping vouchers, enabling them to choose where to shop and purchase food that met their individual and family dietary requirements. Alongside this, referrals to partner organisations including Kingdom Community Bank, Cosy Kingdom and The Well helped people access specialist advice and practical support. Many participants reported increased confidence in managing their finances and food planning, while also describing reduced stress, improved wellbeing and greater awareness of where to turn for support in the future.

Early findings from the projects have been encouraging. Participants were supported to increase household income, strengthen access to benefits and avoid debt through tailored advice and income maximisation support. Of the 49 participants who received longer-term holistic support, only seven food parcels were required throughout the duration of the projects, providing early evidence that a Cash-First approach can reduce reliance on emergency food aid while helping households meet their needs in a way that offers greater dignity and flexibility.

The benefits extended beyond individual participants. Peer support networks developed naturally through the projects, with participants sharing experiences, knowledge and practical advice with others. In some cases, individuals used what they had learned to support family members in checking benefit entitlement and accessing additional support, creating wider positive impacts within their communities.

A significant outcome of the programme has been the development of the Fife Dignity Charter. Created through engagement with people who have lived experience of poverty and food insecurity, the Charter sets out shared principles to ensure that anyone seeking support is treated with dignity, respect and empathy. As part of a wider commitment to embedding a Cash-First approach across Fife, the Charter helps shape not only what support is provided, but how it is delivered.

The work supports the Plan for Fife priorities around tackling poverty and inequality, improving health and wellbeing and creating stronger, more resilient communities. By helping households maximise income, access support earlier and build confidence in managing future challenges, the projects have demonstrated the value of combining direct financial assistance with personalised, longer-term support.

Looking ahead, the learning and evidence gathered through the pilot projects will help inform the continued development of Cash-First approaches across Fife. By building on the principles of dignity, choice and person-centred support, partners will continue working together to reduce food insecurity, strengthen financial resilience and support sustainable outcomes for individuals, families and communities across Fife.