DWP publishes guidance on administration of COVID Winter Grant Scheme, and sets out allocation of £170 million funding for scheme by local authority

Aim of scheme is to ensure that 'every child will be warm and well-fed this winter', says Department

The DWP has published guidance on the administration of the COVID Winter Grant Scheme, and has set out the allocation of the £170 million funding for the scheme by local authority.

Introducing the COVID Winter Grant Scheme guidance, the DWP confirms that the scheme will be made available in early December 2020 to support those most in need across England with the cost of food, energy (heating, cooking, lighting), water bills (including sewerage) and other essentials, and that the Department will provide funding to local authorities who will administer the scheme and provide assistance to vulnerable families with children, and other vulnerable households, particularly affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The DWP adds that -

'This guidance sets out the required collaboration between DWP, Authorities, including their delivery partners, such as District Councils and charitable organisations etc, to successfully meet the policy intentions within the agreed framework. It also provides any constraints that we need to work within and the distribution of funding and reporting arrangements.

The aim is to give vulnerable households peace of mind in the run up to Christmas and over the Winter months during the pandemic by helping those who need it to have food on the table and other essentials, so every child will be warm and well- fed this winter'

The DWP goes on to set out detailed guidance to local authorities in the following areas -

• access to data;
• working with other organisations;
• establishing eligibility;
• funding overlap;
• definitions;
• reporting requirements;
• DWP engagement;
• DWP funding arrangements;
• managing the risk of fraud;
• individuals whose immigration status is subject to a No Recourse to Public Funds restriction;
• complying with State Aid rules;
• administration costs; and
• the Public Sector Equality Duty.

In addition, the DWP has published Funding levels per county council or unitary authority which sets out the allocation by authority of the £170 million funding for the scheme.

For more information, see COVID Winter Grant Scheme from gov.uk