Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Finance, Growth and Core Services reported on the extension of the Government’s Household Support Fund (HSF) scheme to 30 September 2024.

By Minute 96 (21 March 2023), the Cabinet had approved a single Local Hardship Schemes policy that encompassed the HSF and the Council’s Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP), Individual Assistance Payment (IAP) and Discretionary Council Tax Relief (DCTR) schemes.  The new policy was also accompanied by a single application process in order to simplify the resident’s journey and align policies and processes.  The expectation at that time was that the HSF would close from 31 March 2024.

In light of the six-month extension of the HSF, the Cabinet Member presented updated DHP, HSF and DCTR scheme arrangements that would ensure that those most affected by the rising cost-of-living continued to receive financial hardship support.  The Cabinet Member also referred to other cost-of-living support arrangements implemented by the Council and the impending difficulties that many were expected to face when migrated from legacy benefits to Universal Credit (UC) over the coming months, particularly as UC would be paid monthly as opposed to fortnightly.

Although welcoming any additional funding that would support local residents, Cabinet Members expressed their dismay that the Government had only chosen to extend the HSF for six months and were suggesting that the difficult times were over, despite the financial challenges that many would continue to experience.

Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Approve the Council’s updated Discretionary Housing Payment, Household Support Fund and Discretionary Council Tax Hardship Scheme policy for 2024/25, as set out at Appendix 1 to the report; and

(ii)  Delegate authority to the Strategic Director, Resources, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance, Growth and Core Services, to vary the allocation of funding and scheme criteria where appropriate to reflect future demand.