Departments Directions Social Fund Guide

Part 2 - Community Care Grants

Direction 4(a)(v) - People setting up home as part of a planned programme of resettlement

General

3050This section deals with payments to help the applicant to set up home in the community as a part of a planned resettlement programme following a period during which he has been without a settled way of life.

3051Community Care Grants are intended primarily to help people live as independent a life as possible in the community. If a person is leaving care or a young person who has left care in the last 12 months, consider an award under Direction 4(a)(i). If there is a threat of care then consider an award under Direction 4(a)(ii).

3052If a person is setting up home as a part of a planned resettlement programme following an unsettled way of life, and they are leaving accommodation that does not provide a sufficient level of care to be considered under Direction 4(a)(i) and there is not a threat of care to be considered under Direction 4(a)(ii) then consider an award under Direction 4(a)(v).

3053A Community Care Grant may be awarded to applicants who:

have been living in the community in accommodation which does not provide a sufficient level of care or supervision to be treated as institutional or residential care for the purposes of Direction 4(a)(i) and
are being housed in permanent accommodation (or temporary accommodation which will lead to permanent accommodation) as a part of a planned programme of resettlement.

3054-3069

Unsettled way of life

3070People who have been without a settled way of life may have been:

using a night shelter
staying in a hostel
sleeping on the streets or in a make-shift shelter on the streets
using an emergency winter shelter
using a temporary supported lodging scheme
staying in temporary accommodation provided by the Home Office pending a decision on their application for asylum in this country
using a combination of these

3071The above list is not exhaustive. Be aware of the:

type of housing provision for the homeless within your area, and
organisations which are active locally, and
possibility of temporary reception centres for refugees or evacuees from outside the UK

3072-3089

Planned resettlement programmes

3090Planned programmes of resettlement may be run by voluntary organisations such as:

Simon Community, Women's Aid, Salvation Army, Extern and Edward Street Hostel. These voluntary bodies are part-funded by the NIHE and provide accommodation as well as running a resettlement programme. The Extern organisation also receives funding from the NIO, as it provides accommodation and runs resettlement programmes for ex-offenders.
the Home Office, which has the powers to fund voluntary bodies to provide temporary accommodation for asylum seekers, refugees or evacuees from countries outside the UK

3091Non-publicly funded programmes providing resettlement should normally be a registered charity whose aims include the resettlement of homeless people.

3092You may need to check that:

a programme of resettlement exists at the accommodation that the person is moving from; and
the person is on such a programme.

Check with the organisation arranging the programme if necessary, observing rules of confidentiality.

3093A resettlement programme can include transition from hostel or reception centre accommodation to independent living in the community (e.g. allocated NIHE housing). For example, where both the temporary accommodation the applicant is vacating and the permanent accommodation he is moving to, were provided or obtained as part of an organised reception and placement programme administered by organisations such as the Refugee Council for asylum seekers, refugees or evacuees from countries outside the UK.

3094Some people may need intensive, long-term support owing to multiple needs resulting from physical or mental health problems. This may involve frequent visits and specialist help over a longer period. In these cases it may be more appropriate to consider making an award under Direction 4(a)(ii).

3095Consider if it might be appropriate to make an award under another part of Direction 4 in some circumstances.

3096-3109

What types of need may be considered

3110 Consideration may be given to one or more of the following. This list is not exhaustive:

furniture and household equipment
connection charges, if the move involves installing domestic appliances
removal expenses and storage charges
fares on moving home

3111-3119

Third party payments

3120The award should normally be payable to the applicant. However, Decision Makers also have power to make payment to a third party who can provide, or arrange for the provision of, the items covered by the award. See Sections 134(3) and 135(5) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (NI) Act 1992.

3121This power should only be used exceptionally - for example, where there is firm evidence that the award may not be used for its intended purpose. If you do decide to make such a payment, document the reasons fully, since a Decision Maker's determination to make payments to a third party can be reviewed like any other determination.

3122-3149