Purpose

LBTH is responsible for disseminating central government funding relating to the Household Support Fund (HSF). This Cabinet paper seeks to determine the methods for the disbursement of these funds and sets out target cohorts for direct resident support.

Decision

1. Note the Household Support Fund tranche 7 delivery plan as agreed and submitted to the DWP on 2nd July 2025.
2. Agree the methods of delivery for the HSF programme.
3. Approve the disbursement of HSF funds to residents where they constitute a grant.
4. Authorise the Director of Customer Services to make appropriate arrangements and enter into all necessary agreements to ensure the disbursement of HSF funds to residents in accordance with this report.

Reasons for the decision

Central government provides funding to deliver the Household Support Fund (HSF) from the Department for Work and Pensions to support with the cost of living. HSF delivery has a number of criteria, must be delivered to certain strict timescales, and will require the dissemination of grants.

DWP guidance on the allocation of the Household Support Fund requires LBTH ‘to complete a delivery plan to outline their intentions for The Fund, clearly setting out their priorities and approach for use of the Fund, and to demonstrate the ways in which they intend to allocate their funding.’

The Household Support Fund delivery plan is agreed in conjunction with the Mayor and submitted to DWP prior to allocation, but legal comment outlines that payments to residents will constitute a grant and therefore will require formal approval.

The grant is time-limited; funds must be spent by 31st March 2026, and winter-focused provisions must have funding allocated in time for effective project delivery, making approval of this paper urgent.

Alternative options considered

Do nothing – failure to approve a distribution method will prevent the council from delivering the Household Support Fund programme in time, requiring the Council to return unspent funds to DWP.