Guidance

S7/2019 (Revised): New Burdens funding to meet the costs of implementing Carers Allowance Supplement and Best Start Grant in 2018-19

Updated 27 November 2019

Applies to England and Wales

Who should read

All Housing Benefit staff

Action

For information

Revision

This circular is being reissued as we have added to the subject description, title and main heading in order to reflect when this funding is for. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Guidance Manual

The information in this circular does not affect the content of the HB Guidance Manual.

Queries

See our Housing Benefit subsidy circular page if you want extra copies of this circular and previous circulars.

technical content of this circular, contact
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payments, contact
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distribution of this circular, contact
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Introduction

1. A policy change provided for in the the Scotland Act 2016 provides the Scottish Parliament with additional powers including the ability to create new benefits in areas of devolved responsibility, the ability to top-up any reserved benefit and the ability to make one off discretionary payments for any reason.

2. This circular is to inform you of additional funding that will be allocated to local authorities (LAs) for the costs of implementing the following two changes. The LA Practitioners’ Operational Group has been consulted regarding New Burdens associated with implementing them.

Carers Allowance Scotland

3. On 28 August 2018, the Scottish Government announced that the first payment of Social Security Scotland’s Carer’s Allowance Supplement (CAS) would be made on 15 October 2018.

4. CAS payments are made by the Scottish Government to some carers living in Scotland.

5. For further information you should refer to bulletin LAWD11/2018

Best Start Grant

6. On 20 November 2018 the Scottish Government announced that Best Start Grant (BSG) would commence from 10 December 2018.

7. BSG will replace Sure Start Maternity Grant for claimants living in Scotland.

8. For further information you should refer to bulletin LAWD12/2018

Funding and payment details

9. Although LAs will receive a single payment, in order to provide transparency, a breakdown of the total funding is given below and detailed in Annex A.

Area of activity Total amount Comments
Carers Allowance Supplement    
Changes to websites, online claims forms and leaflets £12,500 Based on previous New Burdens paid for this one off cost
Learning and development £64,000 Money will be allocated to each LA according to HB caseload size
Best Start Grant    
Changes to websites, online claims forms and leaflets £25,000 Based on previous New Burdens paid for this one off cost
Learning and development £128,000 Money will be allocated to each LA according to HB caseload size

10. Each LA will receive their allocation payment the week commencing 25 March 2019.

Allocation New Burdens funding: Annex A

LA CAS BSG Total
Aberdeen £2,415 £4,831 £7,246
Aberdeenshire £2,344 £4,688 £7,032
Angus £2,218 £4,435 £6,653
Argyll and Bute £2,186 £4,372 £6,558
Clackmannanshire £2,124 £4,248 £6,372
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar £2,055 £4,111 £6,166
Dumfries and Galloway £2,356 £4,712 £7,068
Dundee £2,486 £4,972 £7,458
East Ayrshire £2,316 £4,632 £6,948
East Dunbartonshire £2,131 £4,262 £6,393
East Lothian £2,176 £4,352 £6,528
East Renfrewshire £2,105 £4,211 £6,316
Edinburgh £3,037 £6,075 £9,112
Falkirk £2,340 £4,680 £7,020
Fife £2,782 £5,564 £8,346
Glasgow £4,364 £8,728 £13,092
Highland £2,404 £4,808 £7,212
Inverclyde £2,235 £4,470 £6,705
Midlothian £2,166 £4,331 £6,497
Moray £2,153 £4,307 £6,460
North Ayrshire £2,402 £4,805 £7,207
North Lanarkshire £2,875 £5,750 £8,625
Orkney £2,035 £4,070 £6,105
Perth and Kinross £2,257 £4,514 £6,771
Renfrewshire £2,465 £4,930 £7,395
Scottish Borders £2,244 £4,488 £6,732
Shetland £2,029 £4,059 £6,088
South Ayrshire £2,259 £4,517 £6,776
South Lanarkshire £2,672 £5,343 £8,015
Stirling £2,141 £4,281 £6,422
West Dunbartonshire £2,327 £4,653 £6,980
West Lothian £2,401 £4,801 £7,202