Agenda item

The Executive RESOLVED that

(i)            the action plan outlined in paragraph 4.6 of the agenda report and the allocation of funding outlined in paragraph 4.5 of the agenda report be agreed; and

(ii)          authority be delegated to the Head of HR, Performance and Communications in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Safeguarding and Support to finalise the details of this scheme and the implementation of any further Household Support Grant Schemes.

The Executive was reminded that, in October 2021, the Government had introduced additional funding to target financial support for vulnerable households over the winter months; this fund, known as the Household Support Grant, had operated until 31st March 2022. The grant was designed to enable local Councils to support vulnerable households with the increasing costs of food, energy, water, and other essentials.

In the Government’s Spring Statement, a further Household Support Fund (HSF2) had been announced, to be operational from 1 April and 30 September 2022. This scheme had introduced changes in which the criteria now stated that at least one third was to be funded to residents of a pensionable age and at least a further third to be funded to households with residents with children, with the remaining funds to other households genuinely in need of support. The total funding available to Surrey Heath from HSF2 was £159,183.

Members were advised that discussions were underway between the Council and Citizens Advice Surrey Heath (CASH) to re-establish and agree a ‘local eligibility framework and approach’, to enable CASH to distribute grant funding that best supported the households that were in the most need locally.

It was also proposed to delegate authority to the Head of Service in consultation with the Portfolio Holder to finalise the details of the scheme, along with authority to implement any future schemes where necessary. 

RESOLVED that

(i)        the action plan outlined in paragraph 4.6 of the agenda report and the allocation of funding outlined in paragraph 4.5 of the agenda report be agreed; and

(ii)      authority be delegated to the Head of HR, Performance and Communications in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Safeguarding and Support to finalise the details of this scheme and the implementation of any further Household Support Grant Schemes.