Councillor Seema Chandwani, Cabinet Member for Resident Services and Tackling Inequality, approved the allocation of £2,406,672 from the government's Household Support Fund to assist vulnerable households in Haringey between April and September 2024. This funding will be used to provide direct payments, free school meal vouchers, and support through the Haringey Support Fund.

Household Support Fund in Haringey

The Cabinet Member for Resident Services and Tackling Inequality approved the allocation of £2,406,672 from the government's Household Support Fund for the period of April to September 2024. This fund, provided by the Department for Works and Pensions (DWP), aims to support households facing financial difficulties, particularly those struggling with energy, food, and water bills.

The decision means the Household Support Fund scheme will be extended for another six months. The funding will be distributed through various means, including direct cash payments of £100 or £200 to eligible households, and free school meal vouchers for children during holidays. A portion of the fund, £200,000, will be administered through the Haringey Support Fund, which is an application-based scheme for those most in need. The policy also allows for the Assistant Director of Customer Services, in consultation with Councillor Chandwani, to amend the policy to maximise and control the distribution of funds and to respond to changes in legislation or government guidance. Furthermore, authority has been delegated to provide Free School Meal vouchers during the Autumn half term 2024 holidays, subject to future allocations and permissibility.

The rationale for this decision highlights that local authorities are best placed to understand and allocate funding according to local needs. The fund is intended to support a wide range of low-income households, including families with children, pensioners, unpaid carers, care leavers, and disabled people. The Council has identified that low-income households with children eligible for free school meals will be particularly impacted by the rising cost of living, and this fund will help ensure they can access meals during school holidays. The Council will also utilise its Low-Income Family Tracker (LIFT) data to identify and support other vulnerable groups, including those with no recourse to public funds.

An alternative option of not developing a specific policy was discounted as it would mean not utilising the available funds. Another option, to allocate funds directly to voluntary and community sector partners for distribution, was also discounted in favour of a centralised distribution through the Haringey Support Fund to ensure a more targeted approach to those most in need, while still engaging with the voluntary sector for identification of need.

The policy is subject to the availability of government funding and will terminate on 30th September 2024, with provisions for extension if government funding is increased or extended. The report also noted that the scheme is designed to have a positive equalities impact, particularly on families on low incomes, which disproportionately include residents with protected characteristics.

The Household Support Fund is a government initiative that provides funding to local authorities to help vulnerable households with the rising cost of living. The scheme is administered by local councils, who have discretion on how to allocate the funds within the DWP's guidance. The current allocation for Haringey is part of a national extension of the fund.

The decision to approve the Household Support Fund allocation can be found in the Printed minutes of the Cabinet Member Signing meeting, the Agenda frontsheet, and the Public reports pack.