Agenda and minutes

1      HOUSEHOLD SUPPORT FUND - The Director: Governance and Partnerships and Interim Director: Children and Community Resilience submitted an urgent joint report setting out proposals for the local delivery of the recently announced Department of Work and Pensions Household Support Fund, for individuals, families and households who needed help with food, warmth and other essentials.

The council recognised the different ways that COVID-19 had impacted upon individuals, families and households.  Working alongside partners and the community the council had ensured that a strong offer of support had been provided to the most vulnerable people in North Lincolnshire, including those in employment on low incomes.

During the period of the pandemic, part of this offer of support had included help with food and household bills, funded through a number of government schemes including the Defra Emergency Support Grant, COVID-19 Winter Grant and subsequent Local Support Grant.  This had included the direct provision of food vouchers to families with the lowest incomes and children entitled to Free School Meals, alongside a welfare assistance scheme open to any household experiencing acute hardship.

On 6 October 2021 the government announced the launch of a new £421 million Household Support Fund to support those most in need this winter during the final stages of economic recovery, covering the period of 6 October to 31 March 2022.  Councils had been given discretion to use the funding flexibly, with the expectation that it was primarily used to support households in the most immediate need with food, energy, water and other essential household bills.  In exceptional cases of genuine emergency, it could additionally be used to support housing costs where existing housing support schemes did not meet this exceptional need.

The fund was wider than previous schemes and included both families with children as well as individuals of all ages including people who were in work and experiencing hardship.  The funding allocation for North Lincolnshire was £1,323,892.77.  At least 50% of the fund must be reserved for families with children.

An urgent decision was requested in order to ensure that residents could access the benefits of the North Lincolnshire Scheme as soon as possible.

Resolved – That the local model for delivery of the Household Support Fund in North Lincolnshire, as outlined in paragraph 3 of the report, be approved.