Salford Advice and Information Network

www.salfordadvice.org.uk

Salford Discretionary Support Scheme and other available Payments, Funds, Awards & Grants

Dave Ormsby& Dale Eccleston

Starter Quiz QuestionsTrue, False or Don’t Know.

• The Immediate Emergency Assistance Fund allows 1 award in 12 months?• You can only receive one award for a resettlement grant in a 12 month period. • A fridge maybe claimed under a resettlement grant• A 17 year old can apply to the Immediate Emergency Assistance Fund• Cash payments may be paid directly to the claimant but only in certain circumstances for

Immediate Emergency Assistance.• You can make an online application for a Salford Discretionary Support Scheme Award• If someone is pregnant and sanctioned then the Hardship payments should be paid at 40% of their

personal allowance.• A Salford man over 50 may apply to the Worcester Rotary Sawyer Trust for a washing machine if he

is in need by virtue of financial hardship• You need to be supplied by British Gas to obtain an award under the British Gas Energy Fund.• The need for a local connection can be waived for a Resettlement Grant but only in certain

circumstances• It is possible to get a Winter Fuel Payment & Cold weather Payment?• A Surestart Maternity Grant is £500 – is it £1000 for twins?• Under Universal Credit you can still claim Cold weather Payments, the Sure Start Maternity Grant,

funeral payments & Budgeting loans• The Clan Forsyth Family Trust will only award grants to those with the surname Forsyth.

• Overview of local welfare funds.• Understanding the different aspects of the SDSS.• Immediate Emergency Assistance • Resettlement Grants• Council Tax Discretionary Fund• Applying to the SDSS including a look at the Application Form• Short term benefit advances• Hardship Payments• Other Social Fund payments• Other Salford Support & Assistance• Warm Home Discount• Foodbanks• Other grants/Funds• Universal Credit: Alternative Payment Arrangements & other payments.

Emergencies that may result in no money ?

Failed ESA Lost money

No money whilst appealing

Under investigation

JSA sanctions

Failed to attend medical

Emergency needs

Pending decision

Fail to sign on/agree claimant commitment

Immigration issues

Delay in payments

Overview.

• From 1/4/13 the DWP discontinued the operation of the Social Fund.

• The Social Fund existed to provide emergency assistance for those in receipt of certain benefits in the form of CCG,CL,BL&OTHER GRANTS.

• A reduced fund was transferred to each LA across the country to set up local welfare schemes.

• Salford were awarded a fund that was equivalent to 55% of the SF that was spent by the DWP in 2011/12.

Overview.

• The reduced budget represented a significant loss of support for the least well off in the community, who were dependent on the SF to meet a range of emergency needs.

• Typical recipients were those had been affected by homelessness , domestic violence, ex asylum seekers ,short term financial need & those unable to purchase essential items for their accommodation.

Overview.

• The SF played an essential role in assisting benefit claimants to avoid the requirement to

turn to alternative borrowing options, door step loans, payday loans, unregistered lenders

If someone in Salford applied for a payday loan – How high do

you think the APR can be?

National profile.

• On average 40% of applications to local welfare schemes were unsuccessful, compared with 20% under the social fund.

• 73% of councils will scrap or scale back from April 2015

• The SF operated two rights of review, the second to an independent body and this significantly increased the success rate.

What reasons do you think there may be for an

underspend of the various Local Welfare Scheme?

National profile.

Knowledge of Local Welfare Scheme.

Accessing the funds.

Lack of awareness of the LWS.

Lack of information contained in application.

Criteria limited due to reduced budget.

Confusion of terminology discretionary housing payments

Salford profile.

• The fund conveyed to Salford £1.185 million.

• The LWS is more generous in that it is not restricted to persons who are in receipt of benefits, those who are in receipt of a low income can apply for assistance.

• The LWS as an advantage in that it can be used as part of a broader local strategy to combat poverty and promote more stable communities based on a local knowledge.

Salford profile.

• Future demands.• JSA sanctions are increasing at a rate on 11% per year.• The DWP are not making those who have received a

sanction of the availability of hardship payments.• Changes to entitlement to IBJSA/HB for EEA nationals have

been introduced.• Bed tax/benefit caps.• ESA sanctions increasing.• Delays in processing benefit claims are increasing.• More people on zero hour contracts.• Introduction of UC/ difficulties with budgeting.• No income /ESA/MR.

Three categories of applicants

Immediate Emergency Assistance

Resettlement Grants.

Council Tax Discretionary Fund

Salford Discretionary

Support Scheme

Eligibility criteria and exclusions.

• The scheme is open to single and households with children.• Applicant must be 16 or over.• Must have recourse to public funds.• Have a local connection with Salford, residence for 6 of last

12 months or 3 of last 5 years. • Low household income [60% of median earnings].• Immediate need for essential assistance.• No access to alternative funds or level of savings to which is

adequate to meet their needs.• Not have access to family support.• Be prepared to apply for support from other agencies.

Immediate Emergency Assistance.

• Objective of the scheme is to support households in extreme hardship.

• Essential replacement items needed in an emergency.

• Living costs in an emergency.

• Assistance to attend a job interview.

• Scheme can make two awards in a 12 month period, a third award can be made in exceptional circumstances

Immediate Emergency Assistance.

Awards are restricted to small amounts[food parcel, voucher for gas & electric].

Furniture items are through a supplier.

The scheme encourages applications for other entitlement and the use of the fund as a final option. This should be entered onto the form.

It is important to look at alternative options first

For IEA two per year – three in exceptional circumstancesFor RG – 1 application in a 24 month period

Immediate Emergency Assistance.• What would You consider to be an

emergency?

• In what type of situation do you think it is appropriate for an application of an IEA

Ways it can help.

Immediate Emergency Assistance

referral for baby food or a food parcel

essential furniture items, for example a bed, fridge or

cooker

travel costs to attend a job interview or

workplace

people who are in a crisis, emergency or major disaster

referral to another service, agency or fund

help with emergency supply of gas or electric where there is no heating in the household

Cas

Mr B is single, has no dependents and is a manic depressive & recovering drug

addict.

He lost his money and was seeking:

short term assistance by way of a food parcel. He has three previous awards

from the fund in the last 12 months

Is an award appropriate in these circumstances?

Mr D is single, no dependents, severe depression, PTSD.

Delay in the payment of ESA.

Sought a food parcel, voucher for gas and electric.

Is an award appropriate in these circumstances?

Cas

Mr F is single and is actively seeking work.

He wants help with his electric bill but his gas (for central heating )is paid

uptodate.

Is an award appropriate in these circumstances?

Resettlement grants.

• Support long term resettlement of households.

• Enable people to leave care or institutional settings and live independently or avoid moving into them.

• Includes those leaving temporary accommodation, prison, fleeing domestic abuse.

• Local connection is waived in certain instances related to domestic abuse.

• One award in a 24 month period.

Ways it can help.

Resettlement Grants

a bed, fridge or cooker

scheme will provide essential furniture items

referral to another service, agency or fund

Any additional items inc starter packs based on individual needs

Resettlement grants.

• Furniture supplied through the scheme, restricted to cooker[installed], bed, fridge and carpets if child under 5 years old.

• Exceptional to grant more, but possibly a washing machine.

• To reduce the costs of other strategic services.

• Scheme also designed to support Registered Social Landlords’ sustainment strategies, link between allocations and vulnerable households.

Resettlement grants.

• Issues

• Domestic abuse. Defined as controlling, coercive, violent, abusive, sexual, physical, mental or financial.

• Does the claimant have any evidence from a social worker, police, charity?

Are there any other type of circumstance that you

would you consider it appropriate for a RG to be

awarded?

Cas

Miss E is single, has 1 child age 3 previously lived in Bolton and has fled to

Salford to escape an ex-partner. The relationship broke down due to domestic

violence. She’s been offered accommodation by a social landlord in Salford. She

has applied for resettlement Grant for a cooker, bed, fridge .

What would be required to assist her application?

Exclusions.

• Applicants who have had 2 awards under IEA in last 12 months – with 1 additional award under exceptional circumstances

• 1 award under RG in last 48 months

• Have failed to abide by conditions agreed as part of an award [complied with a referral].

Which scheme could you apply for IEA/RG or either?

• New fridge

• Food parcel

• Washing machine

• Gas & electric payments

• Travel cost to job interview

Council Tax Discretionary fund.

• 5% of budget for this purpose.

• For claimants in extreme hardship.

• No automatic right for persons who did not have any previous liability to pay C/tax.

• Likely to assist those who have been affected by a number of welfare reform changes.

Who do you think might qualify?

Accessing the scheme.• Face to face at Unity House.

• Telephone to team 0161 607 1626: or customers can use freephone number 0800 694 3695

• Download application and print & take /email

• Telephone applications and interviews at the Unity house are not available for Council Tax Support.

• Or given to customer service team at one of the Gateway centres or Broughton Hub. Gateway centres are located in Eccles, Pendleton and Walkden

Application form.

• Complete the application form in full.

• Attach any supporting evidence.

• Make reference to, health related matters, financial, any issue that supports a contention that the claimant or member of his/her family is vulnerable.

Basic details

Ed

Health, financial issues. Personal circumstances. How grant will contribute to independence eg: retain the property.Improve stability, health and welfare.

Assist educational opportunities.Help with rehabilitation

Other public cost savings: avoid deterioration in health

Detail level of support and how an award will assist.

Decision Making.

• Dedicated officers make the decisions.• Monthly monitoring of scheme to assess demand

and expenditure.• Referrals made to support services.• Vouchers, food parcels and essential items.• Targets for decision making;• IEA 48 hours of the application.• RG 14 days of the application.• No right of review/internal evaluation of

consistency of the decisions.

Alternative Options

• Based on a CPAG freedom of Information request to the DWP it shows that applications/expenditure for STBA have tumbled compared to Crisis Loans which for alignment they replaced.

• 12/13 Crisis Loans - 95,733/month

• 12/13 average for STBA 27,600/month

• Average expenditure crisis loans 4.83 million 12/13 and for STBA 381,447/month following year.

• Applications for STBA success rate 22% first 3 months

• Crisis loans 90% success rate in previous year.

Short term benefit advance

Those not in receipt of Universal Credit.

• Short term benefit advance. 0845 6088545

• S5[1]SSAA 1992 in cases where;

• Where it is impracticable for a claim to be made or determined immediately or an award to be determined or paid in full immediately, or cases of need, cases where the SOS that payment can reasonably be recovered.

Short term benefit advance.

• Reg 5:Awaiting decisions on a claim , 3 conditions;• A claim has been made and it has not been

determined,• DM thinks likely that claimant will be entitled,• DM thinks that claimant is in financial need.• Reg 6: has an award 2 conditions, either;• First payment not yet due,• Change of circumstances means award will be

increased on supersession or supersession has increased award but first payment of amount not due.

• DM thinks claimant is in financial need.

Short term benefit advance.

• Reg 7 defines financial need;

• Claimant not getting benefit decided or paid earlier or increased sooner,

• Results in serious risk of damage to health or safety of claimant or a member of family.

• Family is defined as benefit family.

Short term benefit advance.

• Reg 3 defines benefit and a STBA can be made for any benefit so defined.

• Exclusions are;• HB,AA,DLA,PIP,CB,GA[CAN GET INTERIM

PAYMENTS],SSP,SMP,SP,SAP, TAX CREDITS.• Apply by phoning the DWP and specify that a

STBA is required and over the phone interview will be conducted. Some DWP officers state not available, be insistent.

• Guidance on www.cpag.org.uk/stba_rules_guidance

HARDSHIP PAYMENTS

• Vulnerable group: hardship from the first day that JSA is not paid.• Pregnant, child under 16 years, JSA includes disability premium, chronic medical

condition, will last 26 weeks and condition would decline further, carer for person on AA, middle or higher care of DLA, PIP, 16/17 and would experience hardship, 16/17 and claiming JSA on basis of a severe hardship direction, under 21 and within last three years were being looked after by the local authority.

• Non vulnerable group from 15 day that JSA is not paid.• Successive sanctions/ so do not reach 15 day/ seek advise.• Age rules normally 18, however see above.• Amount 40% less than single person allowance/ 20% if pregnant or seriously ill

[not defined].• Check if qualify for other benefits as a result of the reduction.• Must make a hardship statement.• Right of mandatory reconsideration/ one month from date of the notice.• Hardship payments can also be awarded for those with ESA sanctions.

Breaktime

Cold weather payments• Income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance (JSA), pension credit and income-

related employment and support allowance (ESA) include an amount for fuel. However, during a period of very cold weather, a client will use more fuel than usual. Social fund payments are available for periods which are designated as periods of cold weather

• Each postcode area of the country is linked to a weather station. This sends information on the temperature it forecasts or records for its own area to the Department for Work and Pensions. The weather station must either forecast or record a mean daily temperature over seven consecutive days averaging zero degrees Celsius or below.

• It is possible to do a postcode search to find out if the temperature in a particular area has been cold enough to trigger cold weather payments. This is available on the GOV.UK website at www.gov.uk.

• A cold weather payment will be paid automatically to an eligible client in the same way as the client's benefit is paid, usually into her/his bank or building society account. Payment will usually be made within 14 days of the payment being triggered

• Cold weather payments are not loans and therefore do not have to be repaid• The client will receive £25 for each period that qualifies as a period of cold weather.

Winter Fuel Payment

• A Winter Fuel Payment is an annual lump-sum tax-free payment paid to most older people during the winter months. It is not means-tested and it does not affect any other benefits. The amount you receive depends on your circumstances. For the winter of 2013/14 it varies between £100 and £300. You do not have to spend it on fuel costs.

• A Winter Fuel Payment is different to Cold Weather Payments, which are paid automatically to certain people who get means-tested benefits, but only for weeks when the weather is very cold.

• Most people do not need to make a claim for Winter Fuel Payment because the DWP should pay it automatically

Sure start maternity grants

• A maternity grant (also known as a Sure Start Maternity Grant) is a one-off payment to help towards the costs of maternity and baby items for the first child in a family, where the claimant is getting certain means-tested benefits. It can be spent as the claimant wishes.

• A maternity grant is a grant from the social fund which does not have to be repaid. Entitlement is based on regulations which means that if a claimant is eligible, s/he will have the right to a payment. There is no cash limit on the budget from which the payment is made.

• Various conditions must be met.• The amount of a maternity grant is £500. If the baby is one of twins

or more children of the same pregnancy, the grant is £500 for each child.

Funeral payments

• A funeral payment from the social fund can be made to cover the cost of essential funeral expenses. Although it does not normally have to be repaid, it will be recovered if certain money is, or becomes, available.

• The DWP must accept that it is reasonable for the client to be responsible for the funeral expenses and that there is no-one else who could be expected to be responsible

• A client can claim a funeral payment from the date of the death up to three months after the date of the funeral. The client can claim a payment even if s/he has already paid for the funeral

Universal Credit

• Based on your income and personal situation, you may still be able to claim Cold Weather Payments, the Sure Start Maternity Grant and Funeral Payments with Universal Credit. Rules have been set up to make sure that help goes to those who have the greatest need. Therefore not everyone on Universal Credit will be able to get these payments.

Loaves and fishes

Loaves& Fishes

Service users

Anyone can walk in

Provide meals at cheap cost

Food parcels

Link upto inhouse CAB service to try and resolve situation

Informal

Clothing at low cost

Shower available, as well as toiletries

Ways it can help.

ReverendWyatt

Phone 7368868

Provide meals

Clothing & furniture package £15

Furtniture items and transport

Sometimes may require letter to explain persons

circumstances

Informal

Ways it can help.

MustardTree

Apply online

Normally through third party

Charge for items

Food parcels given

Appointmentthen assessment

Warm home discount

• For winter 2014 to 2015, you could get a £140 discounton your electricity bill through the Warm Home Discount Scheme.

• The discount won’t affect your Cold Weather Paymentor Winter Fuel Payment.

• You qualify for the discount if on 12 July 2014 all of the following apply:

• your supplier was part of the scheme • your name (or your partner’s) was on the bill• you were getting the Guarantee Credit element of

Pension Credit (even if you get Savings Credit as well)

Other foodbank locations

• Salford Network (Trussel Trust)

• Broughton Trust

• Salford Foodshare

• Salford CAB for clients

• Local churches

British Gas Energy Trust

• We have been advised by the Trust that funds are very limited currently & they are only paying the strongest cases. The applications that have been paid are where the client has for example health issues/ and or there is a support worker or similar in place- There must be evidence of the issues the client has.

Also since CCG’s have stopped BGET have been inundated with requests for white goods and only the strongest cases will go through.

http://grants-search.turn2us.org.uk/

Ways to identify grants available in the area

Tailor make the grant by filtering results

Have a look at the selection list of grants & Funds available in your handouts and see if

you can identify which organisations may award a grant for the following.

• Washing machine

• Basic furniture

• Clothing

• Food/food vouchers

• Bed

• Utility bills

Universal Credit - What are alternative payment arrangements?

• Jobcentre Plus can give you an alternative payment arrangement (APA) if you can't manage monthly payments of Universal Credit (UC) and there's a risk of financial harm to you or your family.

• The move to a single monthly household payment will be a significant change to the way most benefits are currently paid so the following alternative payment arrangements will be available to help claimants who need additional support:

• Paying housing costs (rent) directly to landlords.

• Making more frequent than monthly payments.

• Splitting payment of an award between partners.

Wherever possible, these alternative arrangements will be time-limited and support will be offered to help you move successfully to normal payment arrangements.

Universal Credit Guidance on personal budgeting

support

Personal budgeting support is about helping you to adapt to three key changes that Universal Credit brings:

• a single household payment;

• Being paid monthly; and

• rent paid directly to you - so you will pay your rent to the landlord yourself.

• The vast majority of claimants needing alternative payment arrangements will be referred for money advice so that they become more financially independent with a view to the payments arrangements ending when they are no longer needed.

• The money advice process filters claimants to the most suitable service and channel in the most efficient way.

Money advice will be offered online, by phone, or face to face.

• There will be different levels and types of money advice based on need; some claimants will be signposted to online services, some may be offered a single session over the phone, others an intensive face to face session with follow up call(s).

When can an alternative payment be considered?

APA

Trigger/ request

Landlords will be able to request managed

payments if a claimant is in arrears.

Local organisations will be able to trigger

an APA review.

During the claim: claimant request

DWP states that claimants will be able to trigger

a consideration for APAs during their claim.

Universal Credit application form

A commitment to

‘carefully assess people’s capabilities before

they are moved on to Universal Credit’.

Tier One factors – Highly likely / probable need for alternative payment arrangements

• Drug / alcohol and / or other addiction problems e.g. gambling • Learning difficulties including problems with literacy and/or numeracy • Severe / multiple debt problems • In Temporary and / or Supported accommodation • Homeless • Domestic violence / abuse • Mental Health Condition • Currently in rent arrears / threat of eviction / repossession • Claimant is young either a 16/17 year old and / or a Care leaver • Families with multiple and complex needs

• The focus should be more around the type of ‘support’ provided rather than the accommodation type when considering if alternative payment arrangements are appropriate.

Tier Two factors - Less likely / possible

• No bank account • Third party deductions in place (e.g. for fines, utility arrears etc) • Claimant is a Refugees / asylum seeker • History of rent arrears • Previously homeless and / or in supported accommodation • Other disability (e.g. physical disability, sensory impairment etc) • Claimant has just left prison • Claimant has just left hospital • Recently bereaved • Language skills (e.g. English not spoken as the ‘first language’). • Ex Service personnel • NEETs - Not in Education, Employment or Training

Initial claim analysis

• It seems likely this will consist of a sift of

claimants when they apply for Universal

Credit using information a claimant enters in

their online form. This information will then be

used by a Universal Credit adviser to decide

whether to put APAs in place.

Form will need to be completed and be reflective of Claimants needs

APA or not?

• Steven claims Universal Credit. He has severe learning difficulties and lives in supported accommodation. He is referred for an alternative payment arrangements. It transpires that Pete’s brother, Joe, acts as his appointee and fully manages his brother’s financial affairs.

NO

• Joe has been looking after his brothers financial affairs for many years, ever since their parents passed away. He works part time and sees his brother regularly and is deemed capable of managing Pete’s Universal Credit. As a result an alternative payment arrangement is not considered appropriate in this case.

APA or not?

• Lucy is 26 years old and makes a claim to Universal Credit and following ‘Personal Budgeting Support’ data gather questioning, it comes to light that she has a drug addiction problem and has no bank account plus a history of debt. She is currently a regular user of cannabis and is not receiving treatment (she says her local support service can only treat class A users at present), she wants treatment and says without it she cannot stop ‘using’.

Yes

• She is therefore considered for alternative payment arrangements as risks spending a large proportion of her Universal Credit income on drugs. A decision is made to pay her pay her rent direct to her landlord and to pay her more frequently than monthly. She is referred for treatment and budgeting support services which include the set up of a budgeting (or ‘jam jar’) account. Her circumstances will be reviewed in eight months time.

No appeal to APA decision

• If Jobcentre Plus don’t agree

• Jobcentre Plus will write or email you giving you its decision about whether to pay universal credit direct to your landlord or make any other ‘alternative payment arrangements’. This should tell you the reasons for its decision and what you need to do if you disagree with its decision.

• You should have one month to write to Jobcentre Plus to ask them to reconsider. However, if they refuse you normally will not have any further right to appeal.

Claim analysis

There is insufficient detail about how the first siftwill work in practice. Relying on self-disclosurethrough the application form raises concerns.

It may miss the most vulnerable or, conversely,those who think they can cope.

Early results from Universal Credit Pathfinders suggest claimants are not requesting APAs even when prompted. Those just coping may not have any obvious challenges, some may be reluctant to share personal information or inaccurately judge their situation.

Shelter

Budgeting Advance• Budgeting Advance 0345 6000723

• An advance payment of Universal Credit to help someone buy essential furniture or household equipment, for example. A Budgeting Loan Is being replaced by the Budgeting Advance,.

The amount of a budgeting advance depends on the expense you need

to meet. However, there are limits on the amount of an advance. The

following table gives the maximum amounts of a budgeting advance.

Your circumstances Maximum amount of a

budgeting advance

You're single and you're not responsible for a

child or young person

£348

You're a member of a couple and you're not

responsible for a child or young person

£464

You're responsible for a child or young

person

£812

Jobcentre Plus can't pay a budgeting advance of less than £100.

You have to repay a budgeting advance within 12 months (or 18 months in exceptional circumstances). Usually repayments will be deducted as installments directly from your universal credit payments.

Advance payment & Hardship payments

• Your first payment will be made one calendar month and 7 days after your date of claim and then calendar monthly after that.

• If you think you will find it difficult to manage while waiting for this first payment you can ask the DWP for an advance payment. This will be paid back out of your future Universal Credit payments: 0345 6000723

• HPs - These if awarded will have to be paid back.

Advance payment & APA

• Sam applies for Universal Credit. He has a number of debts, including rent arrears and so asks the DWP for an advance payment and to be paid twice a month.

Agreed

• The DWP agree to his request– to ensure that he does not fall behind with his repayments. It is also agreed to pay his landlord direct and is referred for budgeting support.

• They will review his case in 3 months.