Agenda item

1.    The Chairman invited Mr Hook, as the Member who requested that the item be placed on the agenda, to outline the reasons for it being considered by the Scrutiny Committee.  Mr Hook explained that he wished to explore why the Household Support Fund (HSF) was being used in the way it was, particularly the criteria for eligibility, including income thresholds and savings limits.  Mr Hook also had concerns about the lack of consideration for housing costs within the eligibility criteria and pensioners missing out and efforts to promote take up of the schemes. 

2.    Mr Gough explained that the HSF had become a regular part of the Council’s activity having been established during the pandemic.  It began with a focus on free school meals during the summer holiday and had evolved into part of the structure for tackling poverty, disadvantage and financial hardship. 

3.    Mr Gough explained that the “Just Missing Out” scheme was a response to the situation that had arisen from the discontinuation of the winter fuel payment for those who were not on pension credit.  A twin track approach meant the Council was both seeking to publicise the fund as well as boosting the take-up of pension credit and also to reach those who were just excluded. 

4.    The take up of the Just Missing Out Scheme had been modest, with around 1,500 people applying from up to 5,000 eligible residents.  Work continued to address this, and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) had been complimentary about the way in which the scheme had operated and that the approach to criteria worked well. 

5.    Approximately 20% of the funding was devolved to districts and boroughs which then ran their own customised schemes locally to meet specific local need. 

6.    Lucy Alesbrook explained that there were limitations around the HSF, the DWP had made it clear that housing support should be limited within the delivery of the fund. 

7.    In talking to partners about eligibility criteria for the scheme it was clear that it could be a challenge for people in hardship when faced with very complicated processes to enable them to access support, a particular success of the HSF had been in making the process as simple as possible for people to access. 

8.    In relation to the pension credit campaign, Officers were working in partnership with district and borough council colleagues who received the data on pension credit take-up.  Further information would be provided to Members when it was available. 

9.    Regarding free school meal eligible households, support was available as a wider part of the delivery of HSF. 

10.Members received confirmation that the government had committed to funding the HSF for another year, a Member requested that consideration be given to housing costs in future criteria and the consideration given to continuing the simplicity of the application process was welcomed. 

11.The Cabinet Member and Officers responded to questions from Members which included the following: 

a.    Could more information be provided on distribution throughout the county?

b.    Unspent funds would be assumed into the general HSF and would be allocated to people in financial hardship. 

c.     A breakdown of the current financial position of the HSF would be provided along with district spend. 

d.    In terms of marketing and promotion to raise awareness of the Just Missing out scheme radio adverts had been used along with bus, train advertising and mail-outs to members of the public and partners – further information on the marketing would be provided. 

e.    Ms Alesbrook confirmed that Canterbury City Council had undertaken a public participation scheme.  The ways in which the district and borough councils operated their schemes differed but KCC worked closely with the them and where there were opportunities to support each other these were promoted. 

f.      In response to a question about those missing out on Pension Credit the Just Missing Out Scheme was intended to focus on that group and provide them with support

12.The Chairman thanked the Cabinet Member and Officers for attending the meeting, for providing responses to the questions asked and for offering to provide further information as requested.

RESOLVED that the Scrutiny Committee note the information provided in relation to the delivery of the Household Support Fund.