I am writing under the Freedom of Information Act to kindly request information relating to your local welfare assistance scheme (also known as local welfare provision).

1. How much was spent on local welfare assistance in the financial year 2020/21 (including administration costs and any additional Government funding such as the Local Authority Emergency Assistance Grant for Food and Essential Supplies or the Covid Winter Grant Scheme)?
Local Welfare Provision spend for 20/21 was £6,908.10 . No admin costs as consumed in service. Wokingham Borough Council funded.

2. What percentage of the overall expenditure was spent on administration costs as opposed to direct grants in 2020/21?
0%

3. What percentage of the overall expenditure was spent on the provision of furniture and/or white goods in 2020/21?
100%

4. What were the number of completed applications to the scheme in 2020/21?
33.

5. How many were successful in 2020/21?
21.

6. If an applicant is not successful, do you direct them to other sources of help? If yes, please specify.
It depends on the circumstances of the claim but will if appropriate.

7. If you do provide furniture and/or white goods, what percentage of these items are provided as:
a) New items: 100%
b) Preloved/reused items: 0%
c) A loan for furniture/white goods: 0%
d) Cash for furniture/white goods: 0%
e) Other (please specify): 0%

8. Do you require applicants to have attempted other sources of support or take out an advance on their benefits before you will accept an LWAS application? If yes, please specify.
Yes, use of savings or access to any other borrowing. An advance from DWP.

9. What is the local welfare assistance scheme budget in your local authority for the financial year 2021/22 (including any additional funding above and admin costs etc.)?
Local Welfare Provision for 2021/22: £23,170

10. If you will have a scheme in 2021/22, what percentage of the budget is drawn from your core spending power and what percentage is being drawn from additional government funding (beyond the revenue support grant)?
100% core budget, no government funding (Local Welfare Provision for 21/22).