Trafford Council has had a Local Welfare Assistance Scheme (Trafford Assist) in place since April 2013 to help residents in short-term acute financial difficulties.

A public consultation was undertaken in the early part of 2024 on the future operation of the Scheme, given the current levels of demand and the level of resources anticipated to be available.

On 18 March 2024, the Executive decided that the Trafford Assist budget of £218k, plus an additional amount to cover administrative costs would, from 1 April 2024, be re-distributed to the Trafford Community Hubs who are best placed to make decisions on the most effective way to spend resources in their communities. 

Unfortunately, following further consultation with the Community Hubs regarding the operation of the Scheme it was concluded that, at this time, they are collectively unable to deliver the Council’s Trafford Assist scheme in 2024/25.

In the interim, it is therefore necessary that the Council continues to deliver a Trafford Assist Scheme to help with emergency food and fuel and this report details proposals for this interim scheme to be delivered by the Council within the funding available, supported by the 6-month extension to the Household Support Fund.  The interim scheme sets out updated award levels which will need to be constantly reviewed in response to government funding announcements.

As the Household Support Fund guidance has now been issued and links in directly with the proposal for the interim Trafford Assist scheme, this report also proposes how the Household Support Fund will be spent, with most of the funding to be used to support families with children who receive free school meals during the school holidays as well as continuing the direct award support to carers, care leavers, pensioners and households with disabled family members. 

-       That the proposals in the report for the televised Trafford Assist Scheme, be approved.

-       That the proposals in the report on the allocation of the Household Support Fund, including if the funding is extended from October 2024, be approved.

-       That based on the urgency of provisions, it is approved that the decision shall not be subject to the call-in process.

There is an urgency to ensure that funding support can be delivered to support vulnerable households who need financial help as soon as possible.

The Council could have considered not having an interim Trafford Assist scheme in place whilst it continues redistribution discussions with the Trafford Community Hubs but that would not support the Council’s corporate policy of supporting people out of poverty.

None declared.