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To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what is the average amount by which community care grant payments have fallen short of the amounts applied for in the last four years for which figures are available. - Inc table.

Asked by

Patsy Calton (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Work and Pensions

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

28 November 2002

For answer on

7 January 2003

Answered on

7 January 2003

Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what is the average amount by which community care grant payments have fallen short of the amounts applied for in the last four years for which figures are available. [85159] Malcolm Wicks: The discretionary Social Fund provides help with unexpected or occasional costs which vary widely in their nature and importance, to a wide range of client groups. People applying for community care grants can request any items they wish, whether or not they fall within the scope of the scheme. In deciding whether, and for what items, a grant is payable a balance has to be struck between meeting people's needs and the costs of providing that support from available resources. The available information is in the table. Figures for the average amount requested refer to all applications, not all of which will be successful. Community Care Grants _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Year Average amount initially requested (£) Average amount initially awarded (£) 1998-99 761 343 1999-2000 772 342 2000-01 794 338 2001-02 833 338 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Notes: For 1998-99,and part of 1999-2000, it was possible to make a dual application for both a budgeting loan and a community care grant. For these years the average amount applied for is based on community care grant applications only, while the average amount initially awarded is for both types of application. Dual applications were phased out from 5 April 1999. Source: Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.

Date

7 January 2003

Reference

85159; 397 c170W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Work and Pensions

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what change in real terms spending power was provided by the cash rise in the community care grant budget from 1997-1998 to 2002-03; and if he will make a statement. - Inc figures.

Asked by

Patsy Calton (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Work and Pensions

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

19 December 2002

Reference

85157; 396 c1004W;396 c1002W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Work and Pensions

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will change the rules and guidance for community care grants and crisis loans to ensure that applicants without (a) a cooker and (b) a bed are given a grant or loan. - Inc figures.

Asked by

Patsy Calton (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Work and Pensions

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

19 December 2002

Reference

85167; 396 c1005W;396 c1003W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Work and Pensions

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the standard of decision-making on community care grant applications.

Asked by

Patsy Calton (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Work and Pensions

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

28 November 2002

For answer on

19 December 2002

Answered on

19 December 2002

Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the standard of decision-making on community care grant applications. [85164] Malcolm Wicks: We announced in the PBR that we will be working with the Treasury to improve Social Fund administration and delivery. We already have procedures in place which aim to drive though a continuous programme of improvement in all benefit decision making. As part of the Department's national Decision Making and Appeals quality checking programme, a specialist Social Fund team monitors the quality of decision making on all elements of the Social Fund. The programme is complemented by local quality checks. The primary function of these procedures is to identify trends in decision making which require remedial action and inform staff training and guidance needs. The Independent Review Service for the Social Fund (IRS) provides an impartial review for customers who are dissatisfied with the outcome of their application to the discretionary Social Fund, following an internal review by a DWP reviewing officer. Around 1 per cent. of decisions are referred to the IRS for review. In November 2001, the IRS published a report "Grants Budgets and Decision Making" which sought to explain the relatively high number of community care grant decisions which it was substituting. In response to the report, the Department has made further improvements to the Social Fund guidance for decision makers on prioritisation and budgetary control. The IRS also provides valuable feedback to local offices on the standard of decision making in every case it sees.

Date

19 December 2002

Reference

85164; 396 c1004-5W;396 c1002-3W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Work and Pensions

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will extend the eligibility for community care grants and budgeting loans from the Social Fund to people (a) whose sole income is (i) incapacity benefit and (ii) contribution based jobseekers allowance and (b) who are receiving the maximum...

Asked by

Patsy Calton (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Work and Pensions

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

19 December 2002

Reference

85168; 396 c1005W;396 c1003W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Work and Pensions

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will increase the amount of money available to (a) the Community Care Grant and (b) the Budgeting Loan budget. - Inc figures.

Asked by

Patsy Calton (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Work and Pensions

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

19 December 2002

Reference

396 c919-20W;396 c917-8W; 85289

House

House of Commons

Treasury

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will increase the Social Fund budget, with particular reference to (a) the Community Care Grant and (b) the Budgeting Loan budgets.

Asked by

Patsy Calton (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Treasury

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

7 November 2002

Reference

79214; 392 c751W;392 c781W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Work and Pensions

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will (a) review the operation of community care grants; and (b) introduce a system of grants for particular life events and needs, available to anyone on a low income. - Includes figures.

Asked by

Patsy Calton (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Work and Pensions

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

5 November 2002

Reference

79216; 392 c186W;392 c198W

House

House of Commons

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