Agenda item

That the report be noted.

The Lead Member for Corporate Finance & Housing and the Director of Regeneration introduced a half year update report on the Local Welfare Provision (LWP) Policy.  The scheme provided assistance for vulnerable people and replaced the former centrally funded DWP Community Care Grants and Crisis loans.

The Cabinet noted the update on the half year spend, reasons for the spend and the impact of Universal Credit on LWP.  There had been 943 applications received in the first six months of 2018/19 which was slightly lower than the 964 received during the comparable period in the previous year.  714 of the applications had been approved for a variety of purposes including vouchers for food and essential white goods and furniture.  The current levels of demand were within budget and it was not considered necessary to increase resources at the current time although the position would be monitored.

Lead Members discussed the impact of Universal Credit and were particularly concerned that the proportion of people on Universal Credit with rent arrears for Council tenancies (54%) was significantly higher than those on Housing Benefit (6%).  Despite the difficulties caused by the introduction of UC, Members welcomed the fact that the LWP continued to provide some short term assistance for people in Slough.  Since the DWP funding had ceased, there was no obligation on local authorities to provide a LWP scheme.  A recent report from the Centre for Responsible Credit (CfRC) had recognised that Slough had not only continued its scheme whilst many other authorities had cut theirs, but it had increased the budget to £300,000.

The Cabinet welcomed the support that LWP continued to provide and the update was noted.

Resolved –  That the report be noted.