What if the crisis we face isn’t just one of poverty or policy, but of trust? In this episode of Shift Beyond Conversations, host Rich Jones asks what it would mean to rebuild connection in a time of fracture, when people feel abandoned by systems that were meant to help. Drawing inspiration from Andy Burnham’s recent call for a “culture of encounter,” Rich explores how trust, dignity, and local agency can be restored in communities hollowed out by distant decision-making and soulless bureaucracy. The Shift Beyond series continues to explore a radical question: what if real change doesn’t come from growing institutions, but from deepening relationships? Across each conversation, thinkers and practitioners imagine how we can build systems with people, not for them – replacing efficiency with empathy, and power-hoarding with power-sharing. In this reflective solo episode, Rich unpacks three movements: 1⃣ Naming the fracture: understanding why trust is thin and connection brittle. 2⃣ Reimagining the local: shifting from systems at people to systems with people. 3⃣ Practising the shift: small, practical ways we can build a culture of encounter in our everyday lives and leadership. Along the way, Rich shares how Angels Connect, a social enterprise born from St Andrew’s Community Network, embodies this philosophy in action – redesigning access to debt and welfare advice through trusted community spaces, so that help feels human again. This episode is both a diagnosis and an invitation: to move from suspicion to solidarity, from empire-building to encounter. It’s a reminder that trust isn’t a by-product of better systems, it is the system. Hosted by Rich Jones, CEO of St Andrew’s Community Network and Angels Connect. Produced in partnership with Shift Beyond and Angels Connect – reimagining systems for dignity, justice, and change.
Empowering Stability: Why Angels Connect Is More Than Aid
Unlocking Billions: Why Angels Connect Could Change the Game Billions of pounds meant for the UK’s most vulnerable are forecast to go unclaimed this year. According to Policy in Practice data shared by the BBC, an estimated £11.1 billion of Universal Credit alone will go unclaimed in 2025-26, alongside billions more in Council Tax Support, Carer’s Allowance, Pension Credit, and Child Benefit. This isn’t a funding shortfall. The money is there, it’s just not reaching the people who need it most. The BBC article highlights a truth those of us working in communities see every day: the problem isn’t always a lack of provision, it’s a lack of connection. People don’t claim what they’re entitled to because: They don’t know they’re eligible. The process feels intimidating, confusing, or too time-consuming. They’ve had poor experiences with “the system” and no longer trust it. There’s no one to walk with them through the process. This isn’t just a bureaucratic quirk, it’s a justice issue. Billions of pounds not claimed means billions not flowing into households, neighbourhoods, and local economies where they could stabilise lives. This is where Angel Connect fits in. Angels Connect directly tackles this access gap. Community-level confidence: Our training modules give ordinary volunteers and staff the ability to spot unmet need early and start a safe, informed conversation. Trusted relationships: People are far more likely to act on advice when it comes from someone they already know – a school worker, a faith leader, a community volunteer. Secure pathways: Digital referral tools mean cases don’t get lost. People are followed through until they receive the support they’re entitled to. In short, Angels Connect turns unclaimed entitlements into real help, real money, and real hope for households. Leaving £11.1bn in Universal Credit unclaimed isn’t just a tragedy — it’s a missed opportunity. Unclaimed benefits lead to: Worse health outcomes, driving up NHS costs. Housing insecurity, leading to expensive crisis interventions. Higher food bank demand, stretching voluntary sector capacity. Angels Connect acts upstream, preventing those downstream crises by making sure people get what’s already theirs. If every £1 spent on Angels Connect training and referrals results in multiple pounds in benefits successfully claimed, the return on investment is enormous, not just for households but for public services and local economies. Funders and partners have a chance to turn the tide. Supporting Angels Connect isn’t simply supporting charity. It’s building a community infrastructure that pays back many times over. As the BBC article makes clear, the money is there, we just need to unlock it. Local authorities: Embed Angels Connect into libraries, schools, and community hubs. Funders: See this as an investment in poverty prevention, not a sticking-plaster cost. Community groups: Train your volunteers and staff; become trusted guides for those who don’t know where to turn. Because every pound claimed is a step toward dignity, stability, and justice.
