Purpose

To outline and agree grant expenditure against the household Support fund in 2025-26.

Decision

1. That the following proposed funding themes and indicative levels of allocations, be approved:

Eligible Spending Theme

Milton Keynes City Council Delivery Plan

Indicative % FundEstimate

Energy and Water

?    Voucher payments direct to Energy suppliers.

?    Financial support towards service charges for Energy and Water.

10%

Food

?    Voucher support for food.

?    Payments to local charities for food supplies

?    Support to families entitled to Free School Meals

25%

Wider Essentials

?    Purchase of Items linked to Energy and warmth – E.G Heating/Bedding / Carpets.

?    Purchase of Items linked to Food – E.G Cookers, Hobs, Utensils

?    Financial Support for essential costs – E.G Travel, Phone connection, Uniform

?    Discretionary Support to Council Tax

25%

Housing Costs

?    Essential support to secure tenancy following expenditure of other funds such as Discretionary Housing Payments and Homeless Prevention Fund.

5%

Advice Services

?    Allocation of funds to chosen advice services.

5%

Preventative Support

?    Funding of community hubs and partnerships that develop community resilience, wellbeing and health.

?    Outreach campaigns that identify households that are just about managing and signposting to support services that will increase resilience and reduce risk of financial hardship.

?    Funding to local partners such as parish councils

20%

Administrative Costs

?    Local Welfare Team costs in processing applications

?    ICT costs for data profiling to identify households in need of support.

?    Campaign costs

10%

1. That authority be delegated to the Director of Finance and Resources, in consultation with the Cabinet member for Resources and Customer Experience, to administer the Household Support Fund Programme 2025/26 and to make any necessary amendments to funding allocations to ensure that the grant is fully utilised.
2. That the allocation of funds be subject to quarterly reviews.