Written evidence from the Southampton City Council CLP0041

Cost of Living Support Payments

This response is on behalf of Southampton City Council. Southampton City Council is submitting a response due to the impact that cost of living support payments have on the residents of Southampton, and due to the role of the council in issuing some of the payments.

Questions:

1. To what extent have the cost of living support payments been sufficient at helping eligible households meet the cost of essentials such as food and electricity?

Southampton City Council’s Council Rebate scheme

The scheme has two parts, the main scheme and the discretionary scheme. For the main scheme Southampton City Council paid out £14,241,450 to 94,943 households, and for the discretionary scheme, £439,800 to 5,671 households. This support was given during April 22 to November 2022, with the majority of payments being made in April 2022, which was the start of the cost living rise. Support was given promptly and as a direct payment, households who received payment could decide how best to use the payment.

2. What role have the following factors played in access to the cost of living support payments:

Southampton City Council’s Council Rebate scheme

The main scheme had specific conditions. Therefore, payments were sent based on these conditions with no requirement for an application form. For the discretionary scheme, of the 5,761 payments only 3 household need to apply directly, the others were given payment without the need for a form.

a) Passporting: Not already being in receipt of certain means-tested benefits, despite being eligible, and consequentially being prevented from accessing emergency support;

Southampton City Council’s Council Rebate scheme

For this scheme there is no requirement to be on benefits. Consequently, this reached a lot of households who are not normally supported through government schemes. Therefore, the reaction received from citizens was positive.  

b) Cliff-edges: Not being in receipt of a certain means-tested benefit, because households failed to meet certain qualifying thresholds.

N/A

c) Qualifying period anomalies: issues relating to the timing of benefit payments;

N/A

d) Receiving a nil reward on a Universal Credit payment, due to reasons such as sanctioning; or

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e) Any other technicality you believe the Committee should investigate?

N/A

3. How has the Department’s ad-hoc payment system and its design and use benefitted or limited the delivery of cost of living support?

Southampton City Council’s Council Rebate scheme

Southampton City Council used its own payment delivery options. Therefore, the council faced no issues in delivering this cost of living support.

4. Are there any examples of international best practice in relation to the delivery of emergency cost of living support that the UK can learn from?

N/A

May 2023