A new Children’s Society report finds that money given to local authorities to replace the Department for Work and Pension’s (DWP) Social Fund has almost been halved compared to equivalent spending since 2010
Local Welfare Provision has replaced parts of the Department for Work and Pensions Social Fund since April 2013.
It is now the responsibility of each local authority to set up a Local Welfare Provision scheme to replace the Government’s Crisis Loan and Community Care Grant Schemes.
The Children’s Society report, Nowhere to turn? Changes to emergency support, shows that almost two-thirds of local authorities are no longer providing interest-free emergency loans through their replacement schemes.
The majority (81%) of local schemes are replacing cash assistance support, with 'in-kind' benefits, such as food bank vouchers and pre-paid store cards.
The Children’s Society are concerned that this could plunge poor families deeper into poverty.
They are also concerned that a postcode lottery, where the level of support a family gets depends on where they live, is beginning to emerge.
To download the report go to http://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/news-views/press-release/report-decline-support-leaves-struggling-families-few-options
For more about Local Welfare Provision see our factsheet at http://disabilityrightsuk.org/local-welfare-provision