CITY of York Council says it has awarded just over three quarters of a grant it received from the Government to ensure the poorest people can get emergency help.
The Guardian newspaper has reported that of £136 million allocated nationwide by the Department of Work and Pensions towards a new welfare assistance scheme - which replaced the former social fund - councils are 'sitting on' £67 million.
Pauline Stuchfield, York's assistant director of customer and business support services, said that following the scrapping of the Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans, the council was given a £315,140 grant by the DWP.
"From a standing start on April 1, 2013, i’m delighted that we have been able to award £239,549 – that’s 76 per cent – to applicants who have met the grants’ criteria.
"In addition, we have spent 100 per cent of another £35,000 DWP grant, allocated to 96 households to alleviate the impact of bedroom tax.”
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