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Crisis and Care award scheme

Crisis and Care award scheme. Mark Ransom Assessment Manager. Introduction - Background. Part of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 Elements of current Social Fund will be abolished from April 2013 and replaced with a localised scheme administered by Local authorities

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Crisis and Care award scheme

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  1. Crisis and Care award scheme • Mark Ransom • Assessment Manager

  2. Introduction - Background • Part of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 • Elements of current Social Fund will be abolished from April 2013 and replaced with a localised scheme administered by Local authorities • New service does not need to reflect current Social Fund scheme • Local authorities have been encouraged to think radically and creatively when creating the new service.

  3. Introduction to Cornwall scheme • Cornwall Council’s CLT agreed that an in-house scheme will be adopted for administering the localised scheme from April 2013 • Shared Services assessment team will be responsible for administering the fund from April 2013 • During 2013 alternative delivery options will be explored • Short time scale to design and implement the scheme ready for go-live date of 02/04/2013 • Named as Crisis and Care Award Scheme

  4. What remains in the Social Fund? • Budgeting loans will continue to be available until UC is fully rolled out. As customers migrate to UC they will have access to a new system of budgeting advances. • Sure start maternity grants • Funeral payments • Cold weather payments • Winter fuel payments

  5. General information • Will be a telephone and web based service only, there will be no face to face provision • Moving away from paying out cash awards, instead purchasing goods and services as required on behalf of the customer • Working with charitable partners to look into re-conditioned goods where possible • Web based application which can be completed by customer over the internet, completed by an advisor on behalf of a customer over the telephone or used by external partner organisations

  6. General information - continued • Signposting to other departments/organisations will be a big part of process whether an award is made or not • Emergency funding only, not used for budgeting • Maximum household award of £1500 per application • Maximum award of £1500 per household per year

  7. Background continued • These new awards will not be loans • This will help to relieve hardship in the longer term and hopefully break the cycle of repeat claims, especially when coupled with signposting to outside support organisations/charities etc, as well as helping with immediate short term need • Budget of £835,074 for 2013/14 so careful monitoring of expenditure required

  8. Crisis Awards • Available to anyone (whether on benefits or not as long as they meet eligibility criteria) • To help those who cannot meet immediate short term need due to emergency or disaster • Must be able to prove/provide evidence of need

  9. Crisis awards – eligibility quick guide • Must be aged over 16 • Must not have received financial assistance from another source for the same reason • Must be without sufficient resources to meet immediate short term needs of self/family • Must not be excluded person (i.e. in hospital, care home, prison) • Must not be a person subject to immigration control • Must not be for an excluded item

  10. Care Awards • Assistance to help people remain in the community • Help with the care of a prisoner or young offender on release on a temporary licence • Ease exceptional pressures on families • Help people setting up home as part of a resettlement plan

  11. Care awards – Eligibility quick guide • Must be in receipt of qualifying benefit • Must not have access to funds or capital in excess of £1500 • Must not be a person subject to immigration control • Care award must not be for excluded item • Must have a local connection (however this may be waived in certain exceptional circumstances)

  12. Crisis & Care awards – some excluded items • Outside the UK • Educational or training need (including clothes and tools) • Travelling expenses to or from school • School uniform • Expenses in connection with court proceedings • Domestic assistance and respite care • Work related expenses • Investments • This list is not exhaustive

  13. Any questions? • Over the next few weeks more details will be published on the Council’s website: www.cornwall.gov.uk/crisisandcare • From 2 April 2013 a dedicated team of advisors will be available on 0300 1234 121 (press option 2)

  14. Cornwall CouncilCounty HallTruro TR1 3AYTel: 0300 1234 100www.cornwall.gov.uk

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