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<p> </p><p><em>[Holding Reply: Thursday 30 January 2014]</em></p><p>DCLG Ministers
and officials talk regularly to elected members and officers of local authorities
about a range of issues.</p><p>The nationally run Community Care Grants and Crisis
Loans were poorly targeted and failed to help those most in need. So, in 2012 as part
of wider welfare reform, the Department for Work and Pensions abolished these national
discretionary schemes and transferred responsibility to local authorities so they
could deliver and tailor new local support as part of their existing services to their
communities.</p><p>Councils can continue to provide support to those in their community
who face financial difficulties or who find themselves in unavoidable circumstances,
but there is no requirement to replicate the previous approach adopted by central
government.</p><p>In contrast to a centralised grant system that was poorly targeted,
under the Department for Work and Pensions' reforms, councils can now choose how best
to support local welfare needs within their areas – what is right for, say, Barrow
and Furness may not be for other authorities. Some councils have already chosen to
wind down their dedicated schemes following underspends.</p><p>In the next Spending
Round period, from April 2015, central government continues to provide support to
local authorities through general funds as part of the Coalition Government's commitment
to reducing ring-fencing and ending top-down Whitehall control.</p><p>The Department
for Work and Pensions provided a separate fund for 2013-2015 and are carrying out
a review of the provision to date.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
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