info on local social fund replacement schemes

I have just found out that the replacement for Crisis Loans is through the Lancashire County Council care and urgent need support team.  The phone number is 0845 053 0015.

Some of these local authority schemes should be judicially reviewed.

There is clear fettering of discretion by setting out a policy which limits payments to non-cash vouchers, certain groups, limited payments per year, payments only for specified circumstances, etc.

Similarly prescribing that applications must be online or by phone raises potential challenges (as has happened under homelessness legislation see R v Camden BC ex p Gillan (1988) 21 HLR 114) as well as raising discrimination issues and I’m not sure they can force people to apply via third parties without the legislative authority to do so.

Reading this stuff, makes me realise how enlightened and compassionate the DWP was with the Social Fund compared to what some councils are doing. These are dreadful stigmatising arrangements which will cause psychological and social harm and the children of today will have strong memories into adulthood of the council officer who sent their family off to the local foodbank or furniture project.

I hope our learned friends are onto the case.

The Northamptonshire Scheme - The Sustained Independent Living Fund:

http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/en/councilservices/Community/social-fund/Documents/PDF Documents/NCC SIL eligibility guidance v1 2nd April 2013.pdf  

in many ways replicates CCGs.  It specifically excludes cigarettes, illegal drugs and alcohol!    Claim is via a form downloaded from the Council’s website and submitted by post.  Also every claim has to be supported by an “agency” which must sign the claim form.

(The web address doesn’t display properly.  You’ll have to copy and paste it into your browser.)

Torbay’s here:

http://www.torbay.gov.uk/index/yourservices/benefits/additionalsupport/crisissupport.htm

Charis Grants (http://www.charisgrants.com/) are administering schemes in Cambridgeshire County Council and North Yorkshire County Council

‘... will take the form of award schemes offering help via services or goods to individuals and families under exceptional pressure, or vulnerable people moving into or remaining in the community.

Applicants must be receiving a means tested benefit or be on low income and be unable to qualify for help elsewhere to meet urgent need. Only residents of North Yorkshire or Cambridgeshire may apply.

Typical awards will be provision of essential white goods, table and chairs, beds and bedding, food and clothing vouchers, some essential house repairs, short term accommodation costs or rent deposits. Cambridgeshire is also offering removal costs. ‘

http://www.nea.org.uk/policy-and-research/newsletter-0313/0313-18
https://twitter.com/CMA_MoneyAdvice/status/319151963818323968

LB of Enfield’s Scheme…

I attach what LB Hackney have publicly available. I will provide the further details about internal guidance once they respond to the FOI request in the other thread.

In Bradford District, it was decided (more or less) to continue to use the ‘old’ national Social Fund CCG and CL eligibility criteria, purposes, priorities, etc, administered by Bradford Council, for year 1.

It is called the Discretionary Support Fund here - details at: http://www.bradford.gov.uk/bmdc/advice_benefits_and_council_tax/benefits/apply.htm

The key differences from the ‘old’ social fund scheme are:
a) Crisis Loans are now Crisis Awards - a pragmatic decision about the cost of seeking recovery and the limited prospects of success
b) the Revenues & Benefits Dept will make decisions - in the new section which will also manage the DHP fund - and Familiy Fund deliver the CCG element of scheme
c) the Revenues & Benefits Dept will deal with all challenges - first tier review by supervisor within section, second tier by appeals unit with Revs & Bens Dept

The Council has agreed to have a formal review of demand, the budget, the rules and admin issues during 2013. The aim is to involve local VCS and housing orgs who provide for similar types of needs -Credit Union, furniture stores, recycling schemes, food banks, etc - and try to create something better ‘joined up’ for April 2014.

redcar and cleveland @

http://www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/rcbcweb.nsf/Web+Full+List/D7B3B4E4AC3B84E080257B2E004D7F65?OpenDocument

city of london @

http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/Pages/Emergency-Support-Scheme.aspx

... keep them coming and, when we get a good number, we’ll beginning organising them on a separate righstnet page like we’re working on for the localised council tax schemes ...

oxfordshire:
http://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/content/contact-oxfordshire-support-fund
0330 1239113

It is well ‘hidden away’ on the website with on line application forms but no information about the qualifying criteria (simplified replacement for CLs & CCGs) which will be administered by Auriga

shawn - 03 April 2013 10:01 AM

Charis Grants (http://www.charisgrants.com/) are administering schemes in Cambridgeshire County Council and North Yorkshire County Council

‘... will take the form of award schemes offering help via services or goods to individuals and families under exceptional pressure, or vulnerable people moving into or remaining in the community.

Applicants must be receiving a means tested benefit or be on low income and be unable to qualify for help elsewhere to meet urgent need. Only residents of North Yorkshire or Cambridgeshire may apply.

Typical awards will be provision of essential white goods, table and chairs, beds and bedding, food and clothing vouchers, some essential house repairs, short term accommodation costs or rent deposits. Cambridgeshire is also offering removal costs. ‘

http://www.nea.org.uk/policy-and-research/newsletter-0313/0313-18
https://twitter.com/CMA_MoneyAdvice/status/319151963818323968

A bit more information on North Yorks at http://www.nypartnerships.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=22776

The above site says “Applications can only be made by agencies ..”, but we have also been told: “The process has been designed for applications to be made by Authorised Agencies so applications made by individuals will only be allowed in exceptional circumstances by prior agreement”
The phone number we have been given for this is listed on the northyorks.gov.uk site as just the Customer Service Centre number.

from Dumfries and Galloway Council

http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=12036

... and Manchester City Council @

http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/200008/benefits/5946/welfare_provision_scheme/1

Aberdeen City . . . . although the online application is prone to crashing!!
@ http://www.communityplanningaberdeen.org.uk/WelfareReform/SWF.asp