Local Welfare Assistance Scheme within Herefordshire.
Case reference FOI2025/00861
Received 2 May 2025
Published 28 May 2025
Request
I am writing under the Freedom of Information Act to kindly request information relating to your Local Welfare Assistance Scheme.
1. What was the total spend on your scheme in 2024/25?
2. How many applications did you receive to this scheme in 2024/25?
3. How many applications were successful in 2024/25?
4. What percentage of your entire scheme (including food, fuel and furniture support) was delivered via:
• Cash
• Vouchers
• In-kind provision of goods
5. How much was spent on the provision of furniture, white goods and furnishings (including flooring and window coverings) in 2024/25? This includes cash, vouchers and the provision of the item itself.
6. What percentage of your furniture and appliance spend only was: • Cash • Vouchers • Provision of the item itself
7. Our research finds that, on average, 37% of Local Welfare Assistance is spent on furniture and white goods. If your authority does provide furniture and white goods, can you explain the positive impact this has on peoples lives? If you do not, can you explain why furniture is not part of your LWA offering?
8. (a) What percentage of your 2024/25 spend was funded by your core spending power (as opposed to additional Govt. funding provided via Section 31 grants, such as the Household Support Fund)
(b) What percentage of your 2024/25 spend came from the Household Support Fund?
(c) What other sources did you use to fund your LWA scheme in 2024/25 and what percentage of the scheme did each source make up respectively?
9. What is your budget for 2025/26?
10. What percentage of your 2025/26 budget is funded by your core spending power? If this budget is not 100% core funded, how is the remaining budget funded?
11. The current tranche of the Household Support Fund is due to end on 31 March 2026. If no further funding is provided by central government after this date, how will this affect the funding for your Local Welfare Provision scheme in 2026/27?
• We will spend more on our Local Welfare Scheme
• It will have no impact, spending will remain at the same level throughout the year
• Our local welfare provision budget will be reduced – please provide estimated percentage reduction
• There will be no local welfare provision – we will close our scheme on 1 April 2026
Response
1. What was the total spend on your scheme in 2024/25?
Answer: £18,465
2. How many applications did you receive to this scheme in 2024/25?
Answer: 346 applications to HSFLWP inbox (same form for HSF & LWP) for assistance with anything other than food or fuel vouchers.
Whilst HSF is available, these are assessed by LWP for eligibility for either onward referral to external partners holding HSF (charities) ie: Herefordshire Community Foundation, NILS, ETHOS etc.
Those not eligible for onward referral are then considered by LWP.
72 - LWP
Onward referral for HSF (charities)- 274
3. How many applications were successful in 2024/25?
Answer: 323 in total
59 - LWP
264 – HSF (charities)
4. What percentage of your entire scheme (including food, fuel and furniture support) was delivered via:
• Cash
• Vouchers
• In-kind provision of goods – Answer: 100%
5. How much was spent on the provision of furniture, white goods and furnishings (including flooring and window coverings) in 2024/25? This includes cash, vouchers and the provision of the item itself.
Answer: - £18,174
6. What percentage of your furniture and appliance spend only was: • Cash
• Vouchers
• Provision of the item itself – Answer: 100%
7. Our research finds that, on average, 37% of Local Welfare Assistance is spent on furniture and white goods. If your authority does provide furniture and white goods, can you explain the positive impact this has on peoples lives? If you do not, can you explain why furniture is not part of your LWA offering?
Answer: This question falls outside the remit of the FOI Act, because it’s a request for an opinion rather than a request for recorded information.
8. (a) What percentage of your 2024/25 spend was funded by your core spending power (as opposed to additional Govt. funding provided via Section 31 grants, such as the Household Support Fund)
Answer: 100%
(b) What percentage of your 2024/25 spend came from the Household Support Fund?
Answer: 0%
(c) What other sources did you use to fund your LWA scheme in 2024/25 and what percentage of the scheme did each source make up respectively?
Answer: This is not applicable.
9. What is your budget for 2025/26?
Answer: £40,482
10. What percentage of your 2025/26 budget is funded by your core spending power? If this budget is not 100% core funded, how is the remaining budget funded?
Answer: 100% Core funded.
11. The current tranche of the Household Support Fund is due to end on 31 March 2026. If no further funding is provided by central government after this date, how will this affect the funding for your Local Welfare Provision scheme in 2026/27?
• We will spend more on our Local Welfare Scheme
• It will have no impact, spending will remain at the same level throughout the year
• Our local welfare provision budget will be reduced – please provide estimated percentage reduction
• There will be no local welfare provision – we will close our scheme on 1 April 2026
Answer: It will have no impact, spending will remain at the same level throughout the year
Documents
This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.