Welfare Support Scheme - further information
Last updated September 2020
Our aim is to meet the needs of our most vulnerable customers if they find themselves in a critical housing or financial situation.
The support and advice we can offer you
Homeless prevention which may include:
- Help to stay in your home
- Finding suitable alternative accommodation including in the private rented sector
- Preventing homelessness through supporting you in your current housing
Access to housing which may include:
- Providing items that will enable a tenancy to be sustained including any of the following: furniture and white goods, beds, bedding, sofa and chairs, tables, wardrobes, pans, utensils, crockery and cutlery
- Help with transport costs to access a housing unit/bed-space that is available
Energy advice
- Providing longer term solutions to help with energy bills
Help with Council Tax bills which may include:
- Applications for the Council Tax Discount Scheme
- Applications for Council Tax exemptions and/or discounts
- Setting up special arrangements to pay
- Applications for the discretionary Council Tax Support Scheme
Help with Housing costs which may include:
- Applications for Housing Benefit
- Applications for the Discretionary Housing Payments fund
- Rent in Advance
- Rent deposit bond scheme
Separate policies apply for some of these existing schemes
Basic financial assessments to determine:
- Whether there are any other organisations or support available to help the customer such as Universal Credit, Child Benefit etc. We will undertake a full income and expenditure calculation of your household to determine if you have any excess income to be used to meet all or part of the support requested.
Who is eligible for financial support?
We will use eligibility criteria to ensure that the funds are available for vulnerable residents with the greatest needs.
To qualify for support for food, utilities or furniture referrals, you must meet one of the following conditions:
- Have suffered a disaster to your home such a major flooding, gas explosion or house fire, where serious damage has been caused to the home or the home has become uninhabitable.
- As a direct result of the inability to afford the goods or services requested, either the health of the customer or their partner will immediately deteriorate.
Other types of help, support and advice have different eligibility criteria so please speak to a Customer Services Advisor for more assistance.
Access to this support needs to be made in person by visiting the Customer Service Centre in Kidderminster. No cash payments will be awarded.
Eligible customers will receive goods or services such as food via vouchers and delivery of white goods and furniture will be made directly to your home.
You will be required to provide evidence of identity and residency in Wyre Forest.
How will the assessment be carried out?
The assessment will be done by a member of our Customer Services team who will undertake a detailed income and expenditure appraisal with you and may sign post you to other services to help you such as the Citizens Advice Bureau or the Housing Needs team.
The assessment undertaken will consider your personal circumstances, the type of help you are requesting and your eligibility for assistance.
Providing eligibility can be proven, the decision can be made on the day.
What happens if I don’t agree with the outcome of my application for help?
If there are any disputes these can be raised verbally or in writing. Where a dispute regarding a decision for support is made, we will conduct a review and notify the customer within one working day of the dispute being received. This review will be carried out by an Officer different from the one who made the initial decision and the outcome will be confirmed over the phone, in person or in writing.
This decision will be final and no further disputes will be considered.