FOI request (FOIR-433361370)

£150 Energy Rebate & Household Support Fund in England

Requested Thu 30 June 2022
Responded  Fri 13 January 2023

Response

Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding.  The department that held the requested information have been dealing with all government grants which have  unfortunately has taken officers away from day to day duties. 

1. a) 37,683 b) 22,214, paid by BACS c) 325, paid by BACS

Q2. With respect to the part of the below FOI request that relates to HSF payments, it is felt the request for information is being directed to the 152 county councils and unitary authorities to which the DWP funding was directly allocated - Hastings Borough Council was not one of these. East Sussex County Council (ESCC) had overall responsibility for the distribution of the fund. HBC only assisted ESCC to spend the money (as did Wealden, Rother, Eastbourne and Lewes councils and a number of voluntary sector partners).

The district and boroughs focused on Energy/Water and Food payments but did not administer any payments for 'housing costs' or 'other essentials'. Each council and voluntary organisation that helped to administer the fund had to report their expenditure details to ESCC separately. ESCC then collated all the information (along with their own) into a single management information return that was then sent back to the DWP.

Consequently we believe this part of your request will need to be directed to ESCC to deal with as only they have all the information needed to respond: www.eastsussex.gov.uk