Content

Salford City Council - Record of
Decision
 
I Councillor Tracy Kelly, Statutory Deputy City Mayor, in exercise of the
powers contained within the City Council Constitution do hereby approve:

 
·               
The introduction of a local Winter Fuel Support
Scheme for winter 2024/25, to support pensioners in receipt of
Council Tax Reduction (under the Salford Pensionable scheme), but
not currently eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, and as set out
in the report. 
 
·               
The scheme will be funded from the Council’s
Cost of Living investment fund, established in August 2023, and
linked to wider support available through the Household Support
Fund, Salford Assist, and WRDA.
 
·               
The scheme will currently be time-limited to provide
support with fuel and energy costs for winter 2024/25, and to
mitigate the impact of new national benefit
arrangements.
 
The Reasons
are:
 
Government have recently
confirmed extension of the Household Support Fund for a further 12
months up to March 2026.  This provides
greater assurance to the Council to invest funds currently unspent
from the existing HSF allocations, the cost of living fund created
in August 2023 and core investment in Salford Assist and other
welfare support.
 
In the week’s leading up to
the Budget, Government also confirmed changes to the rules for
eligibility to Winter Fuel Payment benefit, affecting people over
the age of 66. As a result of this change and the confirmed
extension of HSF, options were developed for a local support scheme
to support pensioners in the city with the cost of fuel and energy
over the winter and to mitigate the impact of moving to the new WFP
arrangements.
 
The core scheme proposed and
eligibility is:
 

·        
Households where the person(s) liable for council
tax is in receipt of Council Tax Reduction under the Salford
PENSIONABLE scheme on the date of application
application;

 

·        
Living in Salford and liable for council tax on the
date of the application;
 

·        
Where Pension Credit is not recorded as in payment
on the claim;

 

·        
One payment of £200 will be made per eligible
household.
 
The total cost of this scheme
is estimated to be not more than £591,000, subject to take
up.
 
A small administrative fee may
be incurred subject to use of the Government supplied bank account
checker.

 
Options considered and rejected
were:
 
The primary focus is to ensure
timely support to pensioners in the city with the cost of fuel and
energy going into winter 2024.  Key
considerations were for any scheme to be simple, easy for residents
to understand and access, easy to administer, and supported by a
wider and long term campaign to encourage applications for pension
credit. 
 
Assessment of
Risk: 
Low.
 
The source of
funding is:  Cost of Living
investment fund.
 
Legal
Advice obtained: not applicable
 
Financial Advice
obtained: 
Michelle Cowley, Finance
Manager
 
This scheme will be funded from
the previous year’s underspend in the Cost of Living
investment fund. This was carried forward at a value of
£800,000.
 
The scheme is to be agreed as a
one off and any longer term commitment would need to be considered
in light of the Government’s confirmed extension of HSF for a
further 12 months.
 
Any long term policy and
financial commitment would need to be considered in light of the
Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan.
 
Procurement
Advice obtained: Anthony Hilton, Head of
Strategic Procurement
 
There
are no procurement implications as a result of this
report.  Expenditure under £10k
requires only one quotation, and the costs of the ‘bank
account’ checker fall within this
guideline.
 
HR Advice
obtained:  not applicable
 
Climate Change
Advice obtained: not
applicable
 
The following documents have
been used to assist the decision process:
 
Report to Cabinet, 8 October
2024, Household Support Fund 2024/25
 
Contact Officer:        Jacquie Russell, Director
Policy and Performance                   
Telephone number: 0161 793
3577
 
(Please delete from the list
below any which are not relevant.)
 
-      
The appropriate scrutiny to call-in the decision is
the Health and Adults Scrutiny Panel
 
 

Signed:      Councillor Tracy Kelly          
Dated:   12.11.24                                     
.
                       
Statutory Deputy City Mayor
 

For Democratic
Services use only
 
This decision was published on 12.11.24                                            
This decision will come in force at 4.00
p.m. on 19.11.24                   
                              
unless it is called-in in
accordance with the Decision Making Process Rules.