Issue - meetings

          The Board received a report from the Operational Director, Finance, which updated Members on the progress of the delivery of the Government’s Household Support Fund from 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023. 

          Halton was awarded grant funding of £1,297,880 and any unspent grant as at 31 March 2023 must be returned to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).  The report outlined the Spending Plan which set out how the grant funding would be utilised via a combination of Council Departments and the Voluntary Sector, to deliver help and assistance to vulnerable households.  The Benefits Division would co-ordinate the use of the grant on behalf of the Council in order to maximise the benefit of the grant funding for the Borough and to ensure that it would be fully utilised. 

          £178,000 was allocated to a Discretionary Support Scheme for individuals or families who needed urgent help to pay for things such as essential food, toiletries, household items or essential fuel bills.  During the period 1 October – 31 December 2022, 421 households had received support.

          The Household Support Fund was intended to cover a wide range of low income households in need, including families with children, pensioners and people with disabilities.  Free school meal vouchers of £12 per week would be issued during school holidays.  £100 would be awarded to vulnerable pensioner households in receipt of council tax reduction.  By December 2022, 4,181 vulnerable pensioners had been awarded the payment.

Progress on delivery of the Household Support Fund to be continued to be reported to the Board. 

RESOLVED:  That:

1)              progress with delivery of the latest Household Support Fund be noted; and

2)              preparations for administration of the extension of the Household Support Fund and the Energy Bills Alternative Funding Scheme be noted.

The Board asked that thanks be noted to the Benefits Team for their work co-ordinating this grant funding.