Decision details

Household Support Grant Funding Allocation

Decision Maker: Chief Executive

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

The purpose of the report is to request approval from the Chief Executive to allocate the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) £2,419,369.23 Household Support Grant funding for Oldham over the period 1 April 2022 to 30 September 2022. The report sets out the proposed allocation of funding across several initiatives including food support for children and young people over the school holiday periods and help with the cost of fuel and essential items for pensioners and vulnerable households.
It is important that the Council does not delay in mobilising financial support to vulnerable residents

Decision:

RESOLVED - That the Household Support Grant funding is spent in full with regard to option one (see below). Any decision to increase the fund with Council resources to augment the offer during the period April to September 2022 will be deferred until there is greater clarity on future Government funding intentions.

Reasons for the decision:

Fve options are presented for consideration, although there is a wide range of potential options.
Options 1-4 (Appendices 2-5 within the attached report) set out proposals for the allocation of the HSG with Options 2-4 requiring additional Council resources ranging from £0.088m to £0.377m.
Option 5. The Council could choose not to deliver a package of support to vulnerable residents over the April to September 2022 period. As the DWP funding is ringfenced, this would mean returning the funding to the Government.

Alternative options considered:

Options 2 to 5

Other reasons / organisations consulted

Consultation with the Director of Finance and the Director of Legal Services, alongside finance, procurement, legal and policy officers. The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee has also been consulted.

Contact: Caroline Lee, Head of Revenues, Benefits and Business Support Email: caroline.lee@oldham.gov.uk Email: caroline.lee'oldham.gov.uk@oldham.gov.uk.

Publication date: 17/05/2022

Date of decision: 09/05/2022

Effective from: 25/05/2022

Accompanying Documents: