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882655

registered interest
date	13/04/2018
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Welfare Assistance Schemes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of expenditure of local authorities on local welfare assistance schemes.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	135717
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/04/2018 answer text <p>The reforms to the Social Fund in 2013 have allowed local authorities in England and the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales to deliver their own local provision for people who are in need of urgent help. The Government believe that councils are best placed to decide how to target flexible help to support local welfare needs. The Government has no plans to change these arrangements and we have not placed on them any duties, expectations or monitoring requirements in this area.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 19/04/2018 10:42:35 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

768551

registered interest
date	11/10/2017
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Welfare Assistance Schemes
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the finding contained in the report of the Centre for Responsible Credit, The Decline of Crisis and Community Care Support in England, published in September, that 26 local authorities have closed their local welfare assistance schemes while others have cut spending on such schemes; and what plans they have to consider the Centre's proposals for reform.
tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
uin	HL1902
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2017 answer text <p>The reforms to the Social Fund in 2013 have allowed local authorities in England and the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales to deliver their own local provision for people who are in need of urgent help. They are best placed to target flexible help on those in need, alongside their other local services. The Government has no plans to change these arrangements.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 23/10/2017 15:30:11 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

540438

registered interest
date	19/07/2016
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Welfare Assistance Schemes
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much of England is covered by Local Welfare Assistance Schemes; and what assessment they have made of whether those schemes have the necessary resources to make known the emergency financial support that is available to benefit claimants suffering from delays or other problems connected with Universal Credit.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL1318
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/08/2016 answer text <p>From April 2013, non-ring fenced funding was passed to local authorities in England and to the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales, who all now administer Welfare Assistance Schemes on a devolved and localised basis. How those local authorities administer this support is for them to decide and outside of my Department’s remit.</p><p> </p><p>In 2014 the Department undertook a review of this change and confirmed that local authorities were delivering targeted support more effectively than was the case with the previous provision under the Social Fund. This confirmed the Government’s wider view that local authorities are best placed to deliver help and support at a local level, ensuring effective provision for those who need it most, and coherent links with wider social care.</p><p> </p><p>Further support is available from Universal Credit and Universal Support for claimants who are in financial difficulty or who are awaiting a Universal Credit payment. This includes advance payments, Alternative Payment Arrangements (more frequent payments, split payments within a household and the payment of rent direct to landlords) and Personal Budgeting support.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 02/08/2016 13:16:55 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

223707

registered interest
date	25/02/2015
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Welfare Assistance Schemes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effective delivery of local welfare schemes by English local authorities.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	225365
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/03/2015 answer text <p>We spoke at length to a number of local authorities last autumn when conducting a review of local welfare schemes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The findings were published, including examples of best practice, on 5<sup>th</sup> November 2014. A copy of the report was sent to all the local authorities that received funding and a copy placed in the House library. It can also be found on the Gov.uk website here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/370775/2-local-welfare-provision-review-nov-2014.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/370775/2-local-welfare-provision-review-nov-2014.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>None of those local authorities we spoke to raised concerns about people being incorrectly referred to local welfare provision support rather than being considered for a Short Term Benefit Advance (STBA). There were some suggestions that this may have happened on occasion when STBAs were first introduced in April 2013, so the department issued revised guidance and instructions to staff at the time. The relevant DWP guidance was also shared with local authorities.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb grouped question UIN 225362 225363 question first answered 02/03/2015 12:54:22 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

223709

registered interest
date	25/02/2015
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Welfare Assistance Schemes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations he has received about instances of people being sent from Jobcentre Plus to apply to the local welfare scheme instead of being offered a short-term advance of benefits; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	225363
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/03/2015 answer text <p>We spoke at length to a number of local authorities last autumn when conducting a review of local welfare schemes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The findings were published, including examples of best practice, on 5<sup>th</sup> November 2014. A copy of the report was sent to all the local authorities that received funding and a copy placed in the House library. It can also be found on the Gov.uk website here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/370775/2-local-welfare-provision-review-nov-2014.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/370775/2-local-welfare-provision-review-nov-2014.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>None of those local authorities we spoke to raised concerns about people being incorrectly referred to local welfare provision support rather than being considered for a Short Term Benefit Advance (STBA). There were some suggestions that this may have happened on occasion when STBAs were first introduced in April 2013, so the department issued revised guidance and instructions to staff at the time. The relevant DWP guidance was also shared with local authorities.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb grouped question UIN 225362 225365 question first answered 02/03/2015 12:54:22 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

223711

registered interest
date	25/02/2015
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Welfare Assistance Schemes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will promote the sharing of best practice in the administration of local welfare schemes.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	225362
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/03/2015 answer text <p /> <p>We spoke at length to a number of local authorities last autumn when conducting a review of local welfare schemes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The findings were published, including examples of best practice, on 5<sup>th</sup> November 2014. A copy of the report was sent to all the local authorities that received funding and a copy placed in the House library. It can also be found on the Gov.uk website here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/370775/2-local-welfare-provision-review-nov-2014.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/370775/2-local-welfare-provision-review-nov-2014.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>None of those local authorities we spoke to raised concerns about people being incorrectly referred to local welfare provision support rather than being considered for a Short Term Benefit Advance (STBA). There were some suggestions that this may have happened on occasion when STBAs were first introduced in April 2013, so the department issued revised guidance and instructions to staff at the time. The relevant DWP guidance was also shared with local authorities.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb grouped question UIN 225363 225365 question first answered 02/03/2015 12:54:22 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

176926

registered interest
date	30/01/2015
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Welfare Assistance Schemes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has held in 2015 to date with his ministerial colleagues at the Department for Communities and Local Government on the operation of local welfare assistance schemes.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	222820
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2015 answer text <p /> <p>There have been no meetings on the operation of these schemes in 2015.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 04/02/2015 11:39:32 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

176736

registered interest
date	29/01/2015
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Welfare Assistance Schemes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people received access grants from the Local Welfare Assistance fund in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014 in Birmingham.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Northfield
tabling member printed	Richard Burden
uin	222723
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2015 answer text <p /> <p>This information is not held by the Department for Work and Pensions. We have a record of the total funding allocated to the local authority, but how the local authority has spent the money would need to be provided by that local authority.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 03/02/2015 11:20:44 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	301 label Biography information for Richard Burden

166466

registered interest
date	26/11/2014
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Welfare Assistance Schemes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he discussed with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government the local welfare provision review, published by his Department on 5 November 2014, prior to the publication of that review.
tabling member constituency	Cities of London and Westminster
tabling member printed	Mark Field
uin	216210
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>Ministers and officials from my Department and the Department for Communities and Local Government hold regular discussions about a number of issues. These include local welfare provision and my department’s review.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 03/12/2014 14:30:49 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	1405 label Biography information for Mark Field

147653

registered interest
date	10/11/2014
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Welfare Assistance Schemes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many local authorities his Department consulted during the review of local welfare assistance schemes.
tabling member constituency	Bolton South East
tabling member printed	Yasmin Qureshi
uin	213963
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>We consulted all 150 local authorities that received funding. A questionnaire was sent to them. We received 106 replies. This was followed up with in-depth interviews with twelve local authorities from across the country. The “Local welfare provision review”, published on 5th November 2014, is available in the House Library, as well as on the Gov.uk website.</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-welfare-provision-review" target="_blank">Local welfare provision review - Publications - GOV.UK</a></p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 17/11/2014 11:53:59 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	3924 label Biography information for Yasmin Qureshi