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The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources
has considered a report setting out the context, considerations and
rationale for the proposed local approach to the allocation of the
Household Support Fund Phase 7 (HSF7).

Since December 2020, the DWP have provided local authorities with
grants to support vulnerable households with the economic impact of
the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent cost of living crisis. The
HSF succeeded the Covid Winter Package (CWP) and the Local Support
Grant (LSG). For the period December 2020 to March 2025, Stockport
received £17.331m across ten grant schemes .

On 30 October 2024, the UK Government announced that the HSF would
be extended from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. Stockport’s
allocation is £3,812,451.89.

Although HSF7 is informally considered an extension to the previous
six HSF schemes, it is a new grant subject to its own grant
conditions. Any underspend from HSF6 cannot be carried forward.
Equally, any underspend from HSF7 cannot be carried into
26/27.

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources has then given
approval to the to the delivery plan for HSF7 as detailed in
Section 6 of the report.

Alternative options considered

None.