FOI request (FOIR-431156730)

Household Support Fund

Requested Tue 21 June 2022
Responded  Thu 30 June 2022

Please may you provide me with:

1. A breakdown of the different mechanisms you have used to distribute the Household Support Fund to vulnerable families (for example, cash, food parcels, vouchers, investment in existing schemes/services such as food banks, and so on).

2. What amount/proportion of the funds were distributed through each method used?

3. Have you evaluated the success or benefits of specific methods used to distribute funds and if so, how did you do so? That is, what Key Performance Indicators do you set?

4. Have you made decisions yet about disbursement tools for current and future grants and, if so, what mechanisms are you planning to use?

Response

1. Hastings Borough Council (HBC) offers financial assistance (via direct credit to bank/building society accounts) for assistance with energy/water costs. HBC is using a service called Huggg that generates vouchers which customers can then use at designated supermarkets to redeem for food and products.

2. HBC has currently approved £46,947.28 in relation to working age applicants for energy/water costs. HBC has currently approved £215,140.00 in relation to working age applications for food vouchers. HBC has currently approved £1,550.00 in relation to pension age applicants for energy/water costs. HBC has currently approved £5,000.00 in relation to pension age applications for food vouchers.

3. No KPI's are required under the Government guidance for either the first or second Household Support Fund schemes. Information not held.

4. Currently the intention is to continue using our current disbursement tools.