Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans

Overview

Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans are currently managed by the Department for Work and Pensions. There is a single phone number that people can ring to submit an application for a grant or loan.

From 1 April, 2013, these grants and loans will be managed by local authorities. In Sutton, the London Borough of Sutton will manage the grants and loans for people living in the borough. Community Care Grants are currently awarded to people in receipt of benefits who are leaving an institution (such as prison or a care home) and moving in to social housing or private rented accommodation, families under exceptional pressure. It funds items such as beds and washing machines for those who otherwise could not afford to live independently in the community.

Crisis Loans are currently awarded to people who have experienced a disaster – such as a fire, and have lost their possessions. It might fund a new mattress and curtains for people who have no access to credit or other funding and need these essential items.

What will Sutton’s process look like?

The London Borough of Sutton is proposing that the local scheme combines both community care grants and crisis loans. It will be based on a grant of up to £200 that does not need to be paid back and if people need more than £200 they can have a loan for the remaining amount, up to an additional £800 (so £1000 in total). People will be able to apply for a grant using a form on the website, over the telephone and, in exceptional circumstances, in person.

What do we want your opinions on?

This consultation exercise will assist the London Borough of Sutton in reaching the following decisions relating to Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans to be awarded 2013/14:

• What barriers, if any, do you think people will face as a result of the changes?
• Are there any particular groups of people in Sutton that will be adversely effected as a result of the changes?
• What more can we do, outside of this fund, to prevent people needing support from this fund?

What are the limits of the consultation?

The consultation exercise focuses on the decisions we need to make for 2013/14. We plan to review the scheme after this time and assess how it could be run in the future. Also, please remember that there is very limited funding available and we want to support residents most in need in Sutton.

What happens next

What will we do with your responses? 

We will publish the results of the consultation on the Consultation hub, on Sutton Council’s website and, if you leave your email address, email you the results as well. All of your ideas will be taken into account when we set the criteria for the 2013/14 round of grants. We will, however, have to remain realistic as to what we can achieve with limited funding and the final decisions will rest with Sutton’s councillors.

What is the timetable for this consultation and start of the grants programme?

The consultation will run for eight weeks from 01/12/2012 to 31/01/2013. A new scheme for 2013/14 will be in place in Sutton on 1 April, 2013.