Purpose

To seek approval of the process to distribute
additional grant funding received as part of the Household Support
Fund. To update on the final outcomes of the Financial Hardship
Action Plan.

Decision

 

      
i.        
the Household Support Fund (phase five) be distributed through:
 

a)   
Purchasing supermarket vouchers, or for opted schools to make
equivalent arrangements, for children qualifying for Free School
Meals in Bracknell Forest primary and secondary schools. Households
will receive a £15 voucher per child per week of the
holidays.
 

b)   
Enhancing the Local Welfare Scheme provision, to expand the support
available via applications from households in need of emergency
help, where assistance cannot be accessed elsewhere.
 

c)    
The provision of application-based grants to voluntary, community,
and
faith sector
organisations to build capacity and extend the reach of support to
residents.
 

d)   
Extending the incentivised debt support offer, where identified
at-risk
households with a
housing benefit overpayment, or council tax arrears, are offered up
to £1,000 to reduce their debt alongside attending a debt
management session.
 

e)   
Additional discretionary payment to reduce the Council Tax
liability to £0 for six months for those that receive 80%
reduction in Council Tax due to being on the highest rate of
disability benefit.
 

f)     
Should any funding remain unspent toward the end of the grant
period,
supermarket
vouchers may be provided to properties identified in fuel poverty,
particularly those who are in receipt of disability and/or carer
benefits and/or EPC below E.
 

    
ii.        
note the outcomes of the financial hardship action plan and the
longer-term
support available
through business-as-usual services

Reasons for the decision

1.    
The Household Support Fund (HSF) is provided by the
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), but local authorities must
determine how it is spent within the scope of the guidance issued.
The local authority is required by the DWP to create a local
eligibility framework to disburse the funding.

 
2.    
Recommendations have been established based on
learning from how the previous phases of the funding have used and
continued assessment of local need.

Alternative options considered

The
Financial Hardship Officers’ Group and Members Welfare
Advisory Panel have
considered a range of options for spending the HSF. It was
concluded that the other
options would not be as effective as those recommended in terms
of efficiently
disbursing funds to those most in need, whilst keeping within
the guidelines set out
by
DWP. The proposals follow the previously agreed mechanism in
distributing
preceding tranches of funding,
accounting for the learning from these.