Vulnerable in Plymouth could be hit by cut to welfare scheme

Vulnerable people in Plymouth will be hit hard by the Government’s decision to scrap a fund for families in crisis, the City Council is warning.

The Government has announced it is scrapping of the Local Welfare Assistance Scheme, which has nationally provided £172m to help 1.2m families with nowhere else to turn.

In Plymouth the fund was known as the Emergency and Welfare Fund and this year the Council had £1m of funding to help the most vulnerable in their hour of need. The Council received 1,728 applications to the Emergency and Welfare Fund and agreed 1,231.

The Council opposed the Government’s plans to scrap the funding during a consultation earlier this year. However, the Government has now confirmed it is going ahead with the cuts, saying any welfare fund now needs to be funded by the Council – even though it has already cut £30m funding for local services in Plymouth and is due cut another £27m over the new few years.

Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet Member for Co-operatives, Housing and Community Safety, said: “It is incredibly callous of the Government to cut this lifeline for many vulnerable families during times of extreme crisis. The fund is the only place they can turn when they are at the end of their tether and exhausted other options. It can help them buy the very basics needed to clothe and feed their families.

“It is not just us that are appalled by this decision. The Children’s Society has already said this is ‘a cut too far.’

“This ruthless and uncaring decision means we will have to fund emergency support to the vulnerable out of our already overstretched budget. To try and protect those most exposed by the Government’s decision, we are exploring options for extending our fund by reviewing the criteria and delivery mechanisms.

“This is the worst possible time for the Government to make this decision as its other cuts to welfare, compounded by rising prices and stagnation of wages, have caused severe difficulties for thousands. We have seen a big rise in people seeking help. For example, in the past two years we have seen a 22 per cent rise in the past two years in the number or people in work who are making claims for housing benefit.

“The Government’s decision is a false economy as ultimately it will just end up putting more pressure on other parts to the welfare system.”