Decision details

To allocate grant funding of £2,419,369.23 from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to Oldham Council to deliver the Household Support Fund over the period 1 April to 30 September 2024.

RESOLVED - That:
Option 2 reflects a balanced scheme that considers the broadest reach in balancing support across the breadth of low-income households as close to the first point of contact as possible whilst fulfilling the grant funding criteria within the limited time allocation.

Option 1 entails delivering the same schemes delivered in 2023/24 with half the funding applied due to the difference in funding period. This is set out in Appendix A.

Option 2 is entails:
• Delivering a scheme that maintains support offered in 2023/24 to children and young people eligible for Free School meals during May half-term at £15 per eligible child and £60 over the school holiday period. This includes a cohort of 19,000 children from preschool age up to and including young people and care leavers of college age to ensure support to all age groups.
• Delivering as in the first six months of 2023/24, our local decision to expand the Government funded Holiday Activities and Food programme (HAF) scheme to include low-income households above the Free School Meals threshold to ensure that children can receive a hot meal and enriching activity.
• Additional funding for Warm Homes Oldham to expand the number of emergency fuel payments that can be issued and small measures to increase energy efficiency.
• Significantly increasing the number of HUGGG vouchers and the teams that can issue them as they identify households in need of food and essential supplies. This will ensure all cohorts of low-income households can access support.
• Additional funding for housing services to enable sustainable tenancies and to provide support for families living in temporary accommodation.
• Additional funding for the council’s Local Welfare Provision (LWP) scheme.
• Additional funding for the voluntary, faith, community and social enterprise sector administered by Action Together to provide practical support including essential items, food, bedding, toiletries and baby items. This includes access to support for residents with no recourse to public funds.
• Additional funding for Oldham Foodbank to reflect current stock levels.

Option 1 does not provide a viable option as it does not reflect the current data and insight included within this report. Furthermore, if does not reflect the demand for the Holiday Activity and Food programme over the 6 weeks summer holidays or the demand on HUGGG vouchers or the Warm Homes Oldham Scheme.

none