Purpose

This decision is to allocate
the funding from the Household Support Fund for the period October
2024 – March 2025

Content

1.1        
Agreed that the Department for Work and
Pensions’ Household Support Fund of £2,378,692.91 for the period
1st October 2024 to 31st March 2025 is to be
allocated as follows:

 

1.1.1   
Targeted payments to support residents at greater
risk, including children eligible for free school meals, care
leavers, households supported by the nil recourse to public funds
teams, households in temporary accommodation in hotels (up to
£1.87m).

 

1.1.2   
An increase in the funding to support vulnerable
households through the Council’s Emergency Support Scheme (up
to £0.3m).

 

1.1.3   
To provide resources to the Welfare Rights Service
to increase capacity of the Money Advice Team, and to fund a
continuation of Advice Outreach throughout the borough
(£0.3m).

 

1.1.4   
Administrative costs for disbursement and management
of the fund of up to £0.05m.

 
1.2        
Noted that the above allocations total £2.52m,
approximately £0.14m in excess of the grant award from the
Department of Work and Pensions. Total spend will not exceed the
grant award, with the final amount allocated to the Emergency
Support Scheme (clause 1.1.2) dependent on actual spend on targeted
payments (clause 1.1.1) and administrative costs incurred (clause
1.1.4).

 
1.3        
Delegated authority to the Director of Resources (S.
151 Officer) to take all necessary steps to implement this package
of measures, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Inclusive
Economy, Business, Skills and Greenwich Supports, and the Leader of
the Council as necessary.