Local Welfare Assistance. What works.

I would be grateful if you would post any news on what elements of your schemes have worked worked well.

I appreciate your local scheme might be fully funded, partially funded or not funded at all.

For those of us that are still involved, this will help us to make the case for the continuation of our schemes.

In City X, they ran a local scheme for additional provision of financial top-ups in cold weather, complemented by debt and energy advice. They ran it at the same time, as the additional cold weather bed provision for rough sleepers.

That sort of thing….

Only what was good please.

Thanks…

Martin, There was a conference of about 50 people on this yesterday (27 May at CCLA, organised by ACO and London Funders), ie on Local Welfare provision. Title was “We’ve kept the safety net (for now and in part) - but what next for Local Welfare provision?” and it was attended by many involved in the Keep the Safety Net Campaign.  Here below is the ad sent out by Becky Green Network and Projects Coordinator London Funders. If there is a report or any follow up I’ll post a link here later in due course. Please see also the other thread that I’m about to post on LWAS. (I won’t post it here because it is news about the schemes that have closed, any you asked for good news on this thread!)

‘The Government has recently announced an allocation of “an additional £74 million to upper-tier authorities, to assist them dealing with pressures on local welfare and health and social care” for 2015-16.” Whilst very welcome (and secured in large part because of the work done by the Keep The Safety Net Campaign) work needs to continue to ensure that local welfare schemes are making the most of the totality of resources available to them, that good practice, innovation and learning are shared across schemes and different stakeholders, and that evidence is collected to make the case for maintaining direct funding of local welfare provision.
This joint ACO and London Funders event will provide an opportunity for delegates to:
Hear from different local authorities why they decided to maintain their local schemes and how they see them developing over the next year;
Reflect on the learning from the first year of local welfare schemes and on the emerging best practice and debate how this can be shared and made available to local authorities and others;
Celebrate the success of the Keep The Safety Net Campaign, and consider strategies and tactics that could be employed to build on the campaign and ensure that there is growing body of evidence available to make the case for maintaining direct funding of local welfare provision.

Becky Green Network and Projects Coordinator London Funders
314 – 320 Grays Inn Road, London, WC1X 8DP
Tel.: 020 7255 4488     Fax: 020 7255 4496     http://www.londonfunders.org.uk

Martin - we have a pretty good system in Bristol - http://www.bristol.gov.uk/page/financial-help-and-benefits/local-crisis-and-prevention-fund. There are two parts - emergency payments and household goods.

Emergency payments are given on a visa debit card - amount varies depending how many in family but generally £30 if a benefit delay. If another reason other than benefit delay I think it is £50 for a single adult and £40 per adult if more than one and £30 per child. That is for food - additional amounts can be given for clothing. Provided the claim is in before 1pm then they can pick up the payment the next weekday morning. Generally most are awarded - main reason for refusal is had one in the last 12 months although this condition can be overruled in exceptional circumstances.

Household goods - are delivered as goods to the accommodation. There is a basic catalogue for new goods but you can also get reconditioned goods which means you get more stuff. Again most are awarded and delivery usually happens within 2 weeks of application.

I could get you more detailed info and statistics if you want.

We have just started a new preventative slant with our welfare rights service working with the crisis and prevention fund where claimants who may need it are given benefits advice/support. This has only been operating since mid-April but we have already done some good work picking up on missed benefits, assisting sanction challenges etc which might not have happened without the extra advice. Because claimants have to come in to collect the emergency payment it’s a good opportunity to give advice at the same time.

Oh and we also do referrals to food banks etc where needed

Hope that helps.

Thanks Folks.

Inspiring.

And yes…. it is my intention to shamelessly pinch (with credit) any good ideas.

Recently went to Bath, they were linking their LWPs to the introduction of UC in their area.

The scheme at Greenwich closly mirrors the CCG / Crisis Loan model, http://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/info/200008/benefits/1376/emergency_support_scheme .

The difference is that the payments are not loans but grants. It covers emergency payments for emergency living costs and community support payments for white goods, furniture and so forth. It’s a broad-ranging scheme that doesn’t exclude a great deal - unless it was a CCG excluded item. Emergency living cost payments are decided on the day if submitted by midday, I think, and paid by sending a bar-code via text message, which is redeemed at the Post Office or council office to the value awarded.

Emergency payments seem to be somewhere in the region of £100, and are limited to 3 in a twelve month period, I believe, and not twice for the same reason. They’ve been a life-saver for many of our residents. Applications are generally submitted online. Community support payments are decided within two weeks and the goods are provided directly, either by the applicant visiting the site where the items are stored to choose an appropriate piece (e.g. a sofa) or they are delivered and set up (fridges, for example) free of charge. White goods are generally new, whereas other furniture are good quality, reconditioned items. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive in my experience.

It’s staffed by a small and hard-working team and I’m very glad to have them here. They work closely with other council benefits advice services to deliver benefits advice to people whose income has stopped, such as fit-for-work decisions and sanctions.