Member Article

Clear Start Launches Benefits Checker

Manchester based Clear Start, the monthly budgeting service, has developed and introduced its pioneering Benefits Checker, as part of the launch of version two of its highly unique budgeting app.

Individuals are being made aware of what extra support they are entitled too, an enhancement of the new AI powered service. After answering a series of questions, customers are able to view at a glance any extra financial support on offer to them which includes for example, Universal Credit, a Council Tax reduction, the Warm Home Discount, free prescriptions, and even eligibility for low-cost broadband.

And for those currently out of work, the new app, has the ability to search for relevant jobs by postcode, with the additional functionality of calculating for clients, how much better off they would be ‘in work’ by analysing the difference in take-home pay each week, if they were employed or if they relied solely on benefits.

Customers are emailed a link to their personal audit, with additional in-built direct links to apply for the support they are entitled to, as well as, if relevant, to the job vacancies that are being advertised that match their interest/area so a direct application be made.

With electricity and gas prices still causing financial hardship for many, Clear Start has also taken the opportunity to improve the functionality of its utility comparison checker on its monthly serving app. Customers can now be assured that they are being offered unbiased advice on the cheapest deal in their area, irrespective of any commission fees.

Fiaz Ashraf, CEO of Clear Start Accountants and Founder of the Clear Start Monthly Budgeting Service comments: “Our Personal Monthly Budgeting Service has been hugely successful; and we were keen to harness the latest technology to step up its capability to improve our offering further.

“For many of our clients, they are simply not aware of the support that they are entitled to. We wanted to demystify this by developing and incorporating our Benefit Checker within our app, with direct links provided so people can submit an application easily.

“And similarly other major enhancements, such as our postcode-specific inbuilt job search and calculator which checks how much better off you are by being in a job, are all designed to improve people’s living wage and consequently standard of living.”

These developments follow hot on the heels of Clear Start launching ‘Penny to the Pound’, co-hosted by Clear Start’s Founder and CEO Fiaz Ashraf, which welcomes a host of experts and industry leaders across the series to offer their views for those embarking on a journey to financial freedom.

Penny to the Pound explores and demystify in an easy-to-listen format relevant topics such as personal budgeting, household expenses, individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs) and debt relief orders.

The podcast is now available to listen to on all major platforms, and can be viewed on the Clear Start Accountants Youtube.

With an employee base of over 150 people, and operating from its state of the art, contemporary headquarters in Universal Square, Devonshire Street North, Manchester, as well as from its offices in Stockport and Canada, Clear Start Accountants offers general accountancy services for sole traders and smaller firms, such as HMRC returns as well as its pioneering, tech-enabled, personal budgeting service for both business and private individuals.

Clear Start has helped countless consumers and small businesses in reducing their living costs, with the assistance of their bespoke client software Clear Smart Personal Budgeting App.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Melissa Chawner .