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Subsistence payments to families with No Recourse to Public Funds seeking access to support under section 17 of the Children Act 1989.

Project 17 made this Freedom of Information request to Wandsworth Borough Council as part of a batch sent to 68 authorities This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

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Project 17
Delivered

Dear Wandsworth Borough Council,

In a recent reply to a FOIA response submitted 26/02/2021 you outlined the local authority's policy on the provision of financial support to families with No Recourse to Public Funds (“NRPF”) seeking access to support under section 17 of the Children Act 1989.

Under the Freedom of Information Act, could you please confirm whether the local authority, for a family eligible for support under Section 17 of the Children's Act 1989, who have no other source of income:

a) has guidance on the minimum or median rate of support provided per family member?
b) if so, what is the minimum or median rate received per week (or fortnight if subsistence is paid fortnightly rather than weekly)?

c) whether the local authority provides additional funds for children aged 1-3?
d) whether the local authority provides additional funds for children aged 0-1?
e) whether the local authority provides additional funds for pregnant mothers?
f) whether the local authority provided any additional subsistence payments during the Covid-19 pandemic to help with additional costs?

g) if the answer to any of questions c)-f) is yes, then please outline what additional funds are received per week (or fortnight if subsistence is paid fortnightly rather than weekly)?

h) whether the local authority provides a maternity grant following the birth of a child?
i) and if so, how much is this grant and is it provided for every child or only for the first child born to the mother?

j) whether the local authority provides discretionary payments for additional expenditure, eg. winter clothes, school uniforms, travel costs?
k) and if so, is there any guidance on the maximum amount payable or the frequency of payments?

If you hold any of the information requested but consider it is exempt from disclosure, please state specifically what exemption you rely upon (including the relevant statutory provision) and the reason you consider it to be applicable.

We look forward to receiving your response within 20 working days as per the FOIA.

Kind regards

Kristine Harris

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FOI WBC,

Public

Wandsworth Request for Information - 2021/4686 - Subsistence payments

Thank you for your request for information received on 15/07/2021.

This will be processed in accordance with the appropriate access to information regime but may be delayed due to the Council prioritising the operational requirements of Covid-19. We remain committed to responding to your request and will reply as soon as we are able.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. Should our response to you breach the statutory time frame you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner:

www.ico.org.uk

Regards,

FOI and DPA Officer
[email address]

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Project 17
Delivered

Dear FOI WBC,

Could you provide me with an updated timeline on when I can expect an answer to my not so recent FOI request? I understand things have been busy during this period however it is now almost 2 months since I submitted the request and I have yet to hear back from you.

Yours sincerely,
Kristine
Project 17

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FOI WBC,

Official

Wandsworth Request for Information - 2021/4686 - Subsistence payments

 

I refer to your request for information received on 15/07/2021.  Please
accept our apologies for the delay.  Please see the information below in
response to your request: -

 

a) has guidance on the minimum or median rate of support provided per
family member?

Yes.

 

b) if so, what is the minimum or median rate received per week (or
fortnight if subsistence is paid fortnightly rather than weekly)?

Please see link to committee paper:
[1]https://democracy.wandsworth.gov.uk/docu...

 

c) whether the local authority provides additional funds for children aged
1-3?  

Kevin Roached confirmed that we don’t, payments are based on how many
children are in the family.  We apply to charities and local organisations
for support.

 

d) whether the local authority provides additional funds for children aged
0-1? 

Kevin Roached confirmed that we don’t, payments are based on how many
children are in the family.  We apply to charities and local organisations
for support.

 

e) whether the local authority provides additional funds for pregnant
mothers? 

Kevin Roached confirmed that we don’t, payments are based on how many
children are in the family.  We apply to charities and local organisations
for support.

 

f) whether the local authority provided any additional subsistence
payments during the Covid-19 pandemic to help with additional costs?

Yes, we provided £20 a week and food bank vouchers if requested.

 

g) if the answer to any of questions c)-f) is yes, then please outline
what additional funds are received per week (or fortnight if subsistence
is paid fortnightly rather than weekly)? Payments are made fortnightly via
pre-payment card.

 

h) whether the local authority provides a maternity grant following the
birth of a child? 

Maternity grants are not provide but we make a referrals are done to
Little Village and the other support agencies.

 

i) and if so, how much is this grant and is it provided for every child or
only for the first child born to the mother?

N/A

 

j) whether the local authority provides discretionary payments for
additional expenditure, eg. winter clothes, school uniforms, travel
costs? 

We apply to charities for this if possible however the threshold is now
very high and many charities are only providing furniture and clothes for
those families fleeing domestic violence.  Transport is a big factor
especially as this is very expensive as many of the children do not go to
school in the same borough that they live in.

 

k) and if so, is there any guidance on the maximum amount payable or the
frequency of payments?  

There is currently no guidance on extra payments to NRPF Families. 
However, if a family is needing extra support we will try and source this
from charities.  If this cannot be found then a case can be made for it.

 

I hope this information meets your needs. If you do not understand the
information provided or wish to discuss anything further, please feel free
to contact me and I, or another member of the team will be able to assist
you.

 

Please note, all material provided by Wandsworth Council in response to
your request for information is for your personal, non-commercial use.
Wandsworth Council reserves all rights in the copyright of the information
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If you are dissatisfied with the information provided in relation to your
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Manager. Any such request for an internal review should be made within 40
days from today's date. Correspondence should be addressed to:
[2][email address]

 

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision
at: [3]https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/

 

 

Regards,

FOI and DPA Officer

[4][email address]

 

From: Blessing <[FOI #774371 email]>
Sent: 15 July 2021 13:08
To: FOI WBC <[email address]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Subsistence payments to families
with No Recourse to Public Funds seeking access to support under section
17 of the Children Act 1989.

 

Dear Wandsworth Borough Council,

 

 

 

In a recent reply to a FOIA response submitted 26/02/2021 you outlined the
local authority's policy on the provision of financial support to families
with No Recourse to Public Funds (“NRPF”) seeking access to support under
section 17 of the Children Act 1989.

 

 

 

Under the Freedom of Information Act, could you please confirm whether the
local authority, for a family eligible for support under Section 17 of the
Children's Act 1989, who have no other source of income:

 

 

 

a) has guidance on the minimum or median rate of support provided per
family member?

 

b) if so, what is the minimum or median rate received per week (or
fortnight if subsistence is paid fortnightly rather than weekly)?

 

 

 

c) whether the local authority provides additional funds for children aged
1-3?

 

d) whether the local authority provides additional funds for children aged
0-1? 

 

e) whether the local authority provides additional funds for pregnant
mothers? 

 

f) whether the local authority provided any additional subsistence
payments during the Covid-19 pandemic to help with additional costs?

 

 

 

g) if the answer to any of questions c)-f) is yes, then please outline
what additional funds are received per week (or fortnight if subsistence
is paid fortnightly rather than weekly)?

 

 

 

h) whether the local authority provides a maternity grant following the
birth of a child? 

 

i) and if so, how much is this grant and is it provided for every child or
only for the first child born to the mother?

 

 

 

j) whether the local authority provides discretionary payments for
additional expenditure, eg. winter clothes, school uniforms, travel
costs? 

 

k) and if so, is there any guidance on the maximum amount payable or the
frequency of payments?

 

 

 

If you hold any of the information requested but consider it is exempt
from disclosure, please state specifically what exemption you rely upon
(including the relevant statutory provision) and the reason you consider
it to be applicable.

 

 

 

We look forward to receiving your response within 20 working days as per
the FOIA.

 

 

 

Kind regards

 

 

 

Kristine Harris

 

 

 

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