Report by Head of Customer Focus (attached)

The Committee considered a report by the Head of Customer Focus (circulated previously) regarding the Household Support fund April to September 2022.

The Head of Customer Focus highlighted the following:

·       Following the initial Household Support Fund October 2021 – March 2022, a further £500m has been allocated nationally to cover the period April 2022 – September 2022.

·       Devon County Council (DCC) had been awarded further funding of £5,064,876.12 by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for a second Household Support Fund (HSF2) for the period 1 April 2022 to 30 September 2022.

·       At least 33% of the fund must be used to support households which have children / young people within them.  DCC will again be awarding free school meal holiday vouchers for May half term and school summer holidays in 2022.

·       At least 33% of the fund must be used to support households which contain people of State Pensionable Age within them. 

·       The remainder of the funding may be used for other vulnerable households who are struggling to meet their food, energy, water and other essential needs.

·       In relation to payment of the fund to people of State Pensionable Age, all District Councils in Devon have agreed to use council tax data to identify all households (a) with a liable party who is of state pensionable age and (b) who claim an element of council tax reduction. Those households which claim this reduction have had their income and household/personal circumstances assessed.  There were approximately 2,700 households across North Devon

·       This data is then to be used to award these households a one-off payment to assist with increasing household expenses.

·       NDC will directly award this using the Post Office payout scheme whereby recipients can obtain their cash at any Post Office using a barcode issued to them. Identification will be required and a 3rd party may collect on behalf of the recipients.

·       It has been agreed Devon wide that there would be a uniform payment of £90 per household.

·       Each household would receive a letter from the Post Office and from NDC advising of how to collect this money in cash from the Post Office.

·       Using this allocation and other identified funding (as outlined in Appendix B of the report) it was proposed that NDC would direct award an amount to working age households who claim an element of council tax reduction which was approximately 3,800 households.  Each household would receive Between £40-£50 cash from their local post office.

In response to questions, the Head of Customer Focus advised the following:

·       The Barnstaple post office branch had been previously closed, however it had now re-opened. 

·       The Post Office would be responsible for sending out the letters and would determine the most appropriate time for the letters to be sent out to ensure that the post offices could meet the demand.  NDC would provide the Post Office with the data.

·       The Council received additional funding of 10% of the hardship fund to cover administrative costs.  Each letter from the Post Office would cost the Council £1.50.

·       DCC calculated the amount to be awarded to each District Council.  The £90 payment to those people of State Pensionable Age was uniform across Devon.

In response to questions, the Director of Resources and Deputy Chief Executive advised the following:

·       Devon County Council had divided the £5.1million awarded by Government by 3 to calculate the costs and ensure that 33% was awarded to those people of State Pensionable Age who claim council tax reduction, 33% to households which had children/young people and 33% to be used for other vulnerable households (as detailed in Appendix B of the report).

RESOLVED:

(a)  That the contents of Household Support Fund (HSF2): Devon’s Approach (Appendix A) be noted;

(b)  That the North Devon Policy Household Support April – September 2022 (Appendix B) be approved.