This in from the LGA in their own words. Ed
A survey of local authorities published today (Monday 6th October) suggests councils will hugely struggle to maintain current levels of help for vulnerable people when government scraps the £347 million Local Welfare Assistance fund next year. The ending of government funding for councils’ emergency support schemes comes on top of a 40 per cent reduction in local government funding over the course of this Parliament.
Over the past two years, local welfare assistance schemes have been set up by councils to give a helping hand to thousands going through a time of crisis or transition, including people facing the threat of homelessness, families struggling to put food on the table and care leavers setting up home for the first time.
Pressure to reverse decision
The Local Government Association, which represents councils, is calling on government to reverse its decision to withdraw funding. Otherwise, thousands are likely to miss out on some of the crucial support which councils are currently providing such as food vouchers, basic household essentials and short-term help paying the rent.
Following a legal challenge the Government has now committed to formally consult on its decision to cut funding. Councils are urging it to use this as an opportunity to reconsider.
Many councils will have to scrap scheme
A survey of local authorities in England carried out by the LGA found that three-in-four expect they will have to reduce support offered next year if government funding is pulled, with 15 per cent of local authorities expecting that they will have to scrap the scheme completely.
Cllr Claire Kober, Chair of the LGA’s Resources Board, said:
“This fund has been used by councils to provide crucial support to people facing personal crises in their lives, from help paying the rent to putting food on the table. By helping people at an early stage and targeting support at where it is needed most, we have been able to assist people in their time of need and prevent short-term problems escalating.
“We think the Government has made the wrong decision to remove the funding for this safety net and it was misjudged to have done so, especially without councils having the opportunity to show what the consequences of such a move might be.
“Taking away this money could prove counterproductive and risks storing up much bigger, and more costly problems in the longer run.
“Thousands of people have been helped through local welfare schemes, which have been far more effective at getting support to those most in need than the Government crisis loans scheme which it replaced.
“If government pulls the plug on funding from April, many local authorities will be unable to afford to make up the difference at a time when we are tackling the biggest cuts to council funding in living memory.
“Councils will be doing everything in their power to support those who need it most, but with less money and fewer resources to work with this is going to become increasingly difficult. For some local authorities, where budgets are already on the brink, they will have no choice but to close their local welfare assistance schemes down altogether.
“With Government now agreeing to consult councils, it brings an important opportunity to reconsider, or we risk letting down people when they are most in need of help.”
