Objectives for the day:

1. Objectives for the day: To: • bring Local Authorities up to date with progress in key areas of development of the successor arrangements to CCGs and CLs for Living Expenses, • help them prepare for implementation • help them build their networks and share practice with other Authorities.

2. COMMUNITY CARE GRANTS AND CRISIS LOANS FOR LIVING EXPENSES – SUCCESSOR ARRANGEMENTSIN SCOTLAND LOCAL GOVERNMENT EVENT - 3 October 2012

3. Outline Timeline • April – Design Group discuss high level scheme. • May – Gather information and verify practicalities. • June to Sept – stakeholder events, consult on guidance, EQIA, application form, monitoring, communications, training, liaison with IT suppliers, funding. • Oct - political agreement and announcement of high level scheme. • Oct to Dec - Finalise guidance, finalise and consult on application form, training materials, options appraisal for independent review. LG – planning for implementation. • Jan to Mar ‘13– Set up, training, testing, communication. • April 1 2013 – Go live. • April onwards – Monitoring and evaluation, service refinements, legislation for permanent arrangements.

4. Finance Grant fund 23.8m Set up Costs – bid made to DWP – initial award £238k – still in discussions Running costs – £5m falling to £4.6m Proposal for distribution agreed by Joint Settlement and Distribution Officer Group – based on historic pattern of spend. Allocations to be announced as part of the Local Government Settlement

5. Data for Scotland

6. Awards by reason:

7. Awards by Reason:

8. Informal Consultation – Key Themes • More detail needed on some aspects of the guidance – particularly prioritisation • The need for good communication to avoid confusion • The need for strong local partnerships to support holistic delivery The importance of a customer centred approach, training and quality assurance • The importance of monitoring and evaluating • The need for the application process and other communication to offer a range of options • Support for holistic approach

9. Scottish Welfare Fund - Purpose The Scottish Welfare Fund will offer grants or in kind support such as travel warrants, fuel cards, furniture etc in order to: provide a safety net in an emergency or when there is an immediate threat to health or safety enable independent living or continued independent living, preventing the need for institutional care. The grants will not need to be paid back.

10. Key features A national scheme delivered through Local Authorities 2 year interim period Fund split between CCGs and CGs Grants or in kind support provided Scottish Govt: Guidance under Section 21 of the Local Government Act 2003, national application form, training and monitoring framework Local Authorities: manage the fund, integrate with other services, monitor performance.

11. Eligibility will be determined by: Receipt of qualifying benefits Certain restrictions e.g. relating to residence or previous applications. Exclusions for specific items not covered by the fund Limits on other resources, savings, capital Personal circumstances meeting the conditions set.

12. Award of a grant will be determined by: The priority attached to the application – determined by severity of need, the impact an award would have on the applicant’s circumstances, certain other factors e.g. presence of a disabled child in the family The level of priority at which awards are being made at that time and whether there is sufficient money in the budget to make a payment .

13. Equalities Impacts • Revised definition of families under “exceptional pressure” disadvantages disabled people • channels for delivery communicating decisions- arrangements for people with impairments/who need support • The exclusion of mobility expenses will impact on disabled people. • The exclusion of telephone connections (for alarms) will impact on older /disabled people • A standard price list/maximum award threshold would disadvantage disabled people if exceptions are not made

14. Single application form • Promote consistency/give service a national character • Ensure ease of access for applicants • Ensure right questions are asked for decision making • Ensure data is captured for monitoring • Links to IT requirements

15. Monitoring and Evaluation • Interlinked with other work on-going – application form & guidance • Dependence on IT software development • Quantitative indicators envisaged from systems reports • Qualitative indicators – need to strike a sensible balance – central and local input • Info will inform permanent arrangements

16. Review Judicial review through courts Options for Independent Review First tier review, independent of decision maker but within the team Applications go to decision maker In Scotland – 5243 CCG’s 3185 CLs (excluding budgeting loans) to independent review 2010-11 42% CCGs and 27.5% CLs rejected at first tier review go on to Independent review 29% CCGs and 16.6% CLs go to first review 57.7% CCGs18.9% CLs initially refused (UK figs)

17. Communication Strategy Strategic objective - Ensure those on low incomes and the people who support them know they should approach their own Local Authority rather than DWP from April 2013 for community care and crisis support. • Collaboration with DWP • Application form, leaflets and posters • Work through intermediary networks

18. Some Ideas from the Consultation • A roadmap for frontline staff – who is eligible for what support and where it is provided. • National website – address finder for Las • Joint working DWP/LA – shadowing/ briefings/hotline/backlog warning • Use existing forums/a partnership agreement with JC+

19. Training • National training programme to support delivery and improve consistency in decision making – staff skills are key • Issues - content, format, timing, IT, who is to be trained • Options for delivery? LA trainers? Private/third sector trainer? • Need to balance cost and time issues with likely effectiveness and long term impact.

20. Options for training delivery • Local Authority internal training. • Training provided by an external supplier • Third sector trainer • E-learning • Blend of training styles

21. Questions for table discussion • What should be included in the training package? budgets, decision-making, customer service skills, diversity awareness training? • How would you want the training to be delivered? • What sort of support materials would be most useful?