Care leavers’ home allowance/leaving care grant
Case reference FOI2024/00413
Published 4 April 2024
Request
I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request the following information from Children's Social care.
Please can you provide information about the care leavers' setting up home allowance (sometimes known as the leaving care grant) in your local authority.
Statutory guidance (Vol: 3 Planning Transitions to Adulthood for care leavers: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61f81624d3bf7f78df30b359/CA1989_Transitions_Guidance.pdf) requires local authorities to provide a setting up home allowance to enable care leavers to purchase essentials (such as furniture, white goods and carpets/curtains) when they move into their first home.
DfE guidance previously recommended that local authorities should pay a minimum of £2,000. The independent review into children's social care recommended that the minimum amount should be increased. Government increased the minimum recommended amount to £3,000 from April 2023. (See https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/648339e8103ca60013039ccf/Section_31_grant_determination_letter_for_leaving_care_allowance_uplift_implementation_grant__2023_to_2025.pdf)
We would like to understand your local authority's policy on the setting home allowance and would like answers to the following questions. I have attached an excel template to provide this information.
1. On the 1st March 2024, what was the total amount you offered to care leavers for their setting up home allowance/leaving care grant? (£)
2. If on the 1st March 2024 the allowance/grant was less than £3,000, are there plans to increase it to £3,000 in 2024?
3. If a care leaver has already accessed some or all of their grant/allowance and the amount received was lower than £3000, will they be able to request the uplift / difference between £3000 and what they have already received?
4. Appendix E of the Transitions to Adulthood guidance specifies that all local authorities should have a policy that sets out the level of the setting up home allowance, how it will be used and any conditions for its use reflecting local priorities.
a. Do you have a written policy on the setting up home allowance/leaving care grant ? (please attach a copy)
b. If yes, when was this policy last reviewed? (date: Month-Year)
5. Does your local authority pay for any of the following items for care leavers in addition to the setting up home allowance/leaving care grant?
a. Broadband costs
b. Carpets
c. Cooking equipment
d. First grocery shop
e. Furniture
f. House content insurance
g. Mobile phone costs
h. Redecoration costs of home
i. TV licence
j. Utility bills
k. White goods
i. Other (please describe)
In addition, please send us any written policies and public information that is available on the setting up home allowance for care leavers (e.g. local offer for care leavers).
Response
I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request the following information from Children's Social care.
Please can you provide information about the care leavers' setting up home allowance (sometimes known as the leaving care grant) in your local authority.
Statutory guidance (Vol: 3 Planning Transitions to Adulthood for care leavers: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61f81624d3bf7f78df30b359/CA1989_Transitions_Guidance.pdf) requires local authorities to provide a setting up home allowance to enable care leavers to purchase essentials (such as furniture, white goods and carpets/curtains) when they move into their first home.
DfE guidance previously recommended that local authorities should pay a minimum of £2,000. The independent review into children's social care recommended that the minimum amount should be increased. Government increased the minimum recommended amount to £3,000 from April 2023. (See https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/648339e8103ca60013039ccf/Section_31_grant_determination_letter_for_leaving_care_allowance_uplift_implementation_grant__2023_to_2025.pdf)
We would like to understand your local authority's policy on the setting home allowance and would like answers to the following questions. I have attached an excel template to provide this information.
1. On the 1st March 2024, what was the total amount you offered to care leavers for their setting up home allowance/leaving care grant? (£)
2. If on the 1st March 2024 the allowance/grant was less than £3,000, are there plans to increase it to £3,000 in 2024?
3. If a care leaver has already accessed some or all of their grant/allowance and the amount received was lower than £3000, will they be able to request the uplift / difference between £3000 and what they have already received?
4. Appendix E of the Transitions to Adulthood guidance specifies that all local authorities should have a policy that sets out the level of the setting up home allowance, how it will be used and any conditions for its use reflecting local priorities.
a. Do you have a written policy on the setting up home allowance/leaving care grant ? (please attach a copy)
b. If yes, when was this policy last reviewed? (date: Month-Year)
5. Does your local authority pay for any of the following items for care leavers in addition to the setting up home allowance/leaving care grant?
a. Broadband costs
b. Carpets
c. Cooking equipment
d. First grocery shop
e. Furniture
f. House content insurance
g. Mobile phone costs
h. Redecoration costs of home
i. TV licence
j. Utility bills
k. White goods
i. Other (please describe)
In addition, please send us any written policies and public information that is available on the setting up home allowance for care leavers (e.g. local offer for care leavers).
A) Please see your completed excel template attached as requested, titled FOI2024 00413 Response Spreadsheet.
Please also see the attached written policies and public information that are available on the setting up home allowance for care leavers, as requested:
Care Leaver Offer
Financial Policy for Care Leavers
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.