Care leavers setting up home allowance - Find a freedom of information request

Information about the care leavers' setting up home allowance (sometimes known as the leaving care grant) in your local authority.

Statutory guidance (Vol: 3 Planning Transitions to Adulthood for care leavers: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61f81624d3bf7f78df30b359/CA1989_Transitions_Guidance.pdf) requires local authorities to provide a setting up home allowance to enable care leavers to purchase essentials (such as furniture, white goods and carpets/curtains) when they move into their first home.



DfE guidance previously recommended that local authorities should pay a minimum of £2,000. The independent review into children's social care recommended that the minimum amount should be increased. Government increased the minimum recommended amount to £3,000 from April 2023. (See https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/648339e8103ca60013039ccf/Section_31_grant_determination_letter_for_leaving_care_allowance_uplift_implementation_grant__2023_to_2025.pdf)



We would like to understand your local authority's policy on the setting home allowance and would like answers to the following questions.



Local authority name:

1. On the 1st March 2024, what was the total amount you offered to care leavers for their setting up home allowance/leaving care grant? (£)

£



2. If on the 1st March 2024 the allowance/grant was less than £3,000, are there plans to increase it to £3,000 in 2024?

Yes

No

Don't know



3. If a care leaver has already accessed some or all of their grant/allowance and the amount received was lower than £3000, will they be able to request the uplift / difference between £3000 and what they have already received?

Yes

No

Don't know



4. Appendix E of the Transitions to Adulthood guidance specifies that all local authorities should have a policy that sets out the level of the setting up home allowance, how it will be used and any conditions for its use reflecting local priorities.

a. Do you have a written policy on the setting up home allowance/leaving care grant ? (please attach a copy)

b. If yes, when was this policy last reviewed? (date: Month-Year)



5. Does your local authority pay for any of the following items for care leavers in addition to the setting up home allowance/leaving care grant?

Item Yes (in addition to allowance/grant) No (it's included in allowance/grant) Don't know

a. Broadband costs

b. Carpets

c. Cooking equipment

d. First grocery shop

e. Furniture

f. House content insurance

g. Mobile phone costs

h. Redecoration costs of home

i. TV licence

j. Utility bills

k. White goods

i. Other (please describe)



In addition, please send us any written policies and public information that is available on the setting up home allowance for care leavers (e.g. local offer for care leavers).

All of the entitlements to a new homes grant can be found here: https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/childrens-social-care/leaving-care

For clarity, the amount is £3,000 and additional support can be requested and this is all contained in the local offer and the finance hand book (all on the link above).