Welfare Provision Information

Manchester City Council have now sent out information on the Welfare Provision Scheme going forward, which looks like this:

The information below outlines the 2015 /16 Welfare Provision scheme; please note that the website and online form will be updated by 01 April 2015.

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to e-mail welfare.enquiries@manchester.gov.uk

Link to website
For help with essential items of furniture:
http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/200008/benefits_and_support/6301/get_essential_items_of_furniture

For support to borrrow money safely:
http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/10050/helping_hands_debt_bills_and_borrowing/6393/borrow_money_safely

For fuel grants:
http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500017/energy_efficiency/6388/help_with_energy_bills

Internet access points across Manchester:
http://www.manchester.gov.uk/directory/35/ict_access_centres

Please also note; that cookies need to be accepted on the website. If the cookies message disappears please refresh the page (F5).

Applicant Gateway Eligibility
(i) Lives within the Manchester area
(ii) Resident has claimed and likely to be entitled to, or is in receipt of:
        • Income Support,
        • Jobseeker’s Allowance,
        • Employment Support        Allowance; or
        • Guaranteed Pension Credit
(iii) Is aged 16 or over at the time of application.

Supporting Principles
(a)        Residents being re-housed/resettled into new accommodation due to fear of violence, significant health/care needs, following a disaster or emergency, or as part of a supported resettlement programme; or
(b)        Residents requiring support to stay within their home and maintain independent living, with significant and enduring medical/care/support needs; or
(c)        Residents requiring immediate financial assistance following a crisis or an emergency.
(d)        Residents that are in a specific vulnerable group and are in extreme fuel poverty in that they are unable to afford immediate heating costs during the winter months or have been disconnected.
(e)        Residents moving into work (following a period of unemployment) but who remain on a low income with the provision of a grant or loan to assist with public transport costs for the first month of employment. The intention is to sustain employment by ensuring that travel costs are met during the transition period from welfare benefits to salary.

Service Offer
Here are a list of goods applicants could be eligible for:

• Beds and mattresses (single, double, bunk, cot, orthopaedic, waterproof)
• Bedding including pillows and towels (single, double, cot, waterproof)
• Electric cooker or microwave (for single persons)
• Fridge (for single persons)
• Fridge freezer
• Kitchen starter pack
• Washing machine
• Gas/Electric voucher
• Cash Grant
• Travel Grant

Saving Progress
We encourage all applicants to save their application during the process of completing it. This document outlines how to do this: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1aWoCJw0ptPRWczMFR2Qi0wajQ/view?usp=sharing

Common errors
Please ensure you accept cookies from the website.

Some fields on the application form need to be submitted in a particular format, please find a brief note on the required formats here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1aWoCJw0ptPeHZCMUlZXzhxZzg/view?usp=sharing

If you have any issues whilst inputting information into the application form, please email welfare.enquiries@manchester.gov.uk and an assessor will contact you as soon as possible.

Supported Applications
We encourage all support workers to complete the 3rd party declaration at the end of the form and supply a telephone number. This will help us validate applicant circumstances and coordinate support.

Submission errors
If any errors occur during submission of the form, please email welfare.enquiries@manchester.gov.uk (this email box is constantly monitored) with details of the claim e.g. LWA ref, NINO, DOB or name. We can then run an integrity report and recover the application form and either submit ourselves or phone the customer to complete any missing details.

Process
Cash Grant:

• Application received in back office, checks undertaken and decision made on Welfare Provision application.
• Applicant informed of decision by phone and letter.
• A voucher is either sent:

1. to the applicants email address for then to print off
2. to a support worker's email e.g. registered provider, CAB
3. Selects a council pickup point e.g. Customer Service Centre

• If applicant is picking up from a Council pickup point, they will need to bring ID with them e.g. letter with a name and address
• The applicant will need to take the printed voucher to a paypoint access point (most newsagents or post offices) and must bring proof of name and address e.g. a bill that matches the details on the voucher
• The voucher will be redeemed for cash.

Gas/Electric Voucher:

• Application received in back office, checks undertaken and decision made on Welfare Provision application.
• Applicant informed of decision by phone and letter.
• A voucher is either sent:

1. to the applicants email address for then to print off
2. to a support worker's email e.g. registered provider, CAB
3. Selects a council pickup point e.g. Customer Service Centre

• If applicant is picking up from a Council pickup point, they will need to bring ID with them e.g. letter with a name and address
• The applicant will need to take the printed voucher to a paypoint access point (most newsagents or post offices) and must bring proof of name and address e.g. a bill that matches the details on the voucher, along with their energy prepayment card/key
• The voucher will be charged to the energy prepayment card/key

Furniture Grant:

• Application received in back office, checks undertaken and decision made on Welfare Provision application.
• Applicant informed of decision by phone and letter.
• Each weekday morning a file containing the previous working day's approved applications are created and raised on our purchasing system.
• Raised purchases are received by our supplier The Furnishing Service (any delivery issues need to be raised with The Furnishing Service 0161 4427563).
• The Furnishing Service text the successful applicant with the delivery date of the furniture, the text contains The Furnishing Service's number in case of any delivery problems.

Travel Voucher:

• Application received in back office, checks undertaken and decision made on Welfare Provision application.
• Applicant informed of decision by phone and letter.
• A voucher is either sent:

1. to the applicants email address for then to print off
2. to a support worker's email e.g. registered provider, CAB
3. Selects a council pickup point e.g. Customer Service Centre

• If applicant is picking up from a Council pickup point, they will need to bring ID with them e.g. letter with a name and address
• The applicant will need to take the printed voucher to a paypoint access point (most newsagents or post offices) and must bring proof of name and address e.g. a bill that matches the details on the voucher
• They will receive a cash grant award

SLA Agreements
Below are the Service Level Agreements for furniture/white good grants and loans. Please note that currently 75% of decisions are being communicated to applicants on the day of application:

• Cash grants following a crisis or emergency - We will contact you within five working days of receiving all the information we need.
• All furniture/white good grants - We will contact you within ten days of receiving all the information we need.
• Fuel Vouchers - We will contact you within two working days of receiving all the information we need
• Travel grants - We will contact you within five working days of receiving all the information we need.

If any application decision time exceeds the SLA above please email welfare.enquiries@manchester.gov.uk and we will contact you as soon as possible.

Requests for information/Decision reconsideration
Any requests for further information or a reconsideration of an application decision need to be emailed to welfare.enquiries@manchester.gov.uk.
Reconsiderations need  to be submitted within 28 days of the application decision, and responses will be received within ten working days.