Issue - decisions

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources has considered a report setting out a proposed approach to using the third phase of the Household Support Fund (HSF3) to support vulnerable households across the borough linked to the Council’s wider cost of living response.

Since December 2020, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have provided local authorities with grants to support vulnerable households.  The Household Support Fund (HSF) succeeded the Covid Winter Package (CWP) and the Local Support Grant (LSG).

On 26 May 2022, the government announced a further extension of the HSF for the period 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023.  As with previous extensions, the DWP stipulated that this is a new grant subject to its own grant conditions.

Stockport’s allocation for HSF3 is £2.163m.

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources has then:-

(1) given approval to the adoption of ‘Option 3’ as detailed in the report for the delivery of HSF3 to maximise the use of the funding to support vulnerable households; and

(2) endorsed the development of a ‘hybrid approach’ as set out in 6.14 to combine the offer of a support voucher issued to families in receipt of means-tested free school meals with the approach set out in Option 2, albeit at a reduced amount to cover the cost of additional FSM vouchers.