The Publishable Officer Decisions meeting was scheduled to discuss the in-house delivery of the Financial Assessment Service and the allocation of the first tranche of funding from the Crisis and Resilience Fund.

In-house Delivery of Financial Assessment Service

The meeting was scheduled to consider a proposal to bring the Financial Assessment service in-house before the end of the current contract with Liberata UK Ltd, which is due to conclude on 30 September 2027. The proposed transition date for in-house delivery was 1 September 2026. This move was planned as part of a broader strategy to insource four services, allowing the council to learn from the initial transition and apply those lessons to subsequent service insourcing.

The report indicated that bringing the service in-house was expected to incur a revenue cost of £120,000 and capital expenditure of £10,000, to be funded from the Corporate Services Contract Review Programme budget. A recurring cashable cost reduction of at least £14,000 per annum was anticipated from the financial year 2027/28 onwards. The proposal aimed to improve customer experience, enhance service performance, and provide greater oversight and control of service data. It was also noted that the Financial Assessment service has been outsourced since 2017.

The report highlighted that the in-house model would align with the council's principles around Resident Experience, aiming for a more person-centred approach and improved accessibility. It was also anticipated to foster joined-up working with related services, such as the collection of Adult Social Care client contributions, and contribute to the Income from Client Contributions Project. The transition was expected to involve a variation to the existing contract with Liberata UK Ltd and would be managed in compliance with the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE).

Crisis and Resilience Fund Allocation: Tranche 1

The meeting was also scheduled to consider the allocation of the first tranche of funding from the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF). This fund, totalling £15.4 million over three years (2026/27 to 2028/29), is provided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to support residents experiencing financial hardship and build long-term financial resilience. The CRF replaced the Household Support Fund (HSF) and incorporates Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP).

The report outlined 12 proposals for the initial allocation of this funding, aimed at strengthening Hounslow's crisis and resilience support. These proposals included:

• Cash-First Crisis Payment Scheme: An allocation of £1,825,000 in 2026/27 to provide support for essential living costs such as food, energy, water, and clothing.
• Housing Payment Scheme: An allocation of £835,000 in 2026/27 to continue support for residents with housing costs, aiming to prevent homelessness and sustain tenancies. This scheme succeeds the previous Discretionary Housing Payment offer.
• CRF Application Administration Officer: Funding of £180,000 over three years to continue a post responsible for administering applications and payments for crisis and resilience support schemes.
• Greater Change Personalised Grants: An allocation of £250,000 in 2026/27 to continue a partnership with Greater Change CIC, creating a personalised grants programme valued at approximately £400,000 through matched funding. This programme aims to prevent homelessness by providing flexible financial assistance.
• Community Employment and Skills Offer: An allocation of £537,059 over three years to establish a programme including two Employment and Skills Advisor posts and an annual Employment Access Fund, aimed at supporting residents facing barriers to employment.
• Domestic Abuse Recovery & Resilience Worker: An allocation of £128,404 over three years to create a new post to provide targeted support to residents affected by domestic abuse, focusing on recovery and financial resilience.
• Community Hub Advisors: An allocation of £531,000 over three years to create three new posts to provide tailored support to residents experiencing financial hardship, helping them access services and resources.
• CRF Coordination Manager: An allocation of £182,038 over three years to create a post to strengthen the strategic coordination, delivery, monitoring, and evaluation of the CRF.
• Hounslow House Emergency Provision: An allocation of £21,500 in 2026/27 to pilot an emergency provision at Hounslow House to meet immediate needs of residents arriving at the building.
• Citizen Advice Funding Extension: An allocation of £250,000 in 2026/27 to extend funding for Citizens Advice for six months, maintaining access to advice services for income maximisation, debt management, and housing issues.
• VCSE Grant Programme: An allocation of £300,000 in 2026/27 to establish a grant programme for Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations providing early intervention and resilience-building services.
• CRF Mobilisation Project: An allocation of £32,000 in 2026/27 to establish a project to put in place the operational, governance, and financial arrangements for the CRF.

The report indicated that these proposals align with the Council's Corporate Plan 2026-2030, A Fairer Future, by supporting residents in areas such as employment, housing, and health, and by tackling inequality. The financial implications detailed that after these allocations, approximately £820,864 of the 2026/27 CRF provision would remain unallocated, with a portion to be retained as contingency.