The UK Government's Household Support Fund scheme - Find a freedom of information request

1. How much money was your local authority allocated under the UK Government's Household Support Fund scheme for the period 6 October 2021 to 30 September 2022? 

2. By 1 October 2022, how much of this money was distributed to households (whether in the form of cash, vouchers or any other way)? 

3. As of 28 October 2022, how much of the money allocated to your local authority under the Household Support Fund scheme for 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023 has been distributed to households

(whether in the form of cash, vouchers or any other way)? 

4. What support is currently available through the Household Support Fund for households in your local authority (for example, cash payments, fuel vouchers, food, etc)?

Please provide as much detail as possible, including a link to your website, if available.   

5. What is the eligibility criteria for the Household Support Fund in your local authority? 

6. Do individuals have to apply for your local authority's Household Support Fund or is it automatic?

a. If individuals need to apply, how can they do this? Please provide postal address, phone number, email and/or URL for application, as relevant.

b. If individuals need to apply, what evidence do they have to provide with their application?

c. If individuals need to apply, what is the deadline for applications (if any)?

Can households access support from your local authority's Household Support Fund more than once?

a. If so, are there any restrictions on this? 

I can confirm that the information requested is held by Lincolnshire County Council. I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.

1. Lincolnshire County Council: 01 Oct 2021 to 31 March 2022= £5,464,685.20 and 01 April 2022 to 30 September 2022 =£5,464,685.20. Total= £10,929,370.00

2. £10,555,182.00

3. As of 28th October 2022, Lincolnshire had not distributed any of the Household Support Fund allocated as of 1 October 2022 for use up until 31 March 2023.

However, plans are in place for the distribution to begin in November initially via schools and early years providers, eligibility will be determined by the numbers of children and young people entitled to FSM and 2 EYE as at the 7th November, funding will be allocated to the value of £100 per eligible child and young person.

It is expected this will be distributed on this basis by the end of November in the form of vouchers/ cash unless agreed otherwise with the families of those children.

Based on estimated figures the total value of the grant distributed in this way will equate to approximately 55% of the total grant. The remainder of the grant will be distributed via District Councils and other voluntary sector providers during the rest of the grant period.

4. A range of support will be made available over the winter period via the household support fund. Information about the support that will be made available will be provided via our website once final arrangements have been put in place with our partners including District Councils and the Voluntary sector.

https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/news/article/839/household-support-fund

5. Lincolnshire is putting plans in place to continue to work with schools and early years providers to provide support to eligible families with children during the winter period. We are also working with our District Councils to develop an application-based process to enable the grant to be made available to other households in need which can vary across the county and will be based on need.

6. Some households will be automatically eligible to receive support directly, this will include households with children eligible for free school meals, 2-year-old Early Years Entitlement. In addition, there are plans to identify households which claim housing benefit only in order to provide some additional financial support to them over the winter period as this cohort did not receive the national cost of living support payment.

a. This information is not yet available however once final arrangements have been put in place this information will be added to the website link in Q4

b. This has not yet been agreed

c. This information is not yet available d. Lincolnshire wants as many households as possible to benefit from the household support fund however we accept that circumstances change and households may have a number of needs which may result in some households receiving support on more than one occasion