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Crisis Payment Scheme Guidance

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Crisis Payment Scheme Guidance V.4.6 Crisis Payment Scheme Guidance Manual for Assistant Care Managers and Managers Contents 1. Eligibility ............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Eligibility - Purpose and definition ..................................................................... 1 1.2 Definition of high priority ................................................................................... 2 1.3 Eligibility – Receipt of benefits .......................................................................... 3 1.4 Non benefit related eligibility ............................................................................. 3 1.4.1 Non benefit related eligibility – Disasters ................................................... 3 1.4.2 Non benefit related eligibility - Disaster imminent but not yet occurred ...... 4 1.4.3 Non benefit related eligibility - Loss of money etc. ..................................... 5 1.4.4 Non benefit related eligibility - Benefit spent .............................................. 5 1.5 Benefit related eligibility .................................................................................... 5 1.5.1 Benefit related eligibility - Domestic crises ................................................. 5 1.5.3 Benefit related eligibility - Exceptional Pressure ......................................... 7 1.5.4 Benefit related eligibility - Breakdown of a relationship .............................. 7 1.5.5 Benefit related eligibility - Clothing (including footwear) for disabled children ............................................................................................................... 9 1.5.6 Benefit related eligibility - Hardship due to compulsory unpaid holidays .... 9 1.5.7 Benefit related eligibility - Prisoners - Clothing on discharge...................... 9 1.5.8 Benefit related eligibility - Prisoner or young offender on release on temporary licence .............................................................................................. 10 1.5.9 Benefit related eligibility - Capital not immediately realisable ................... 10 1.5.10 Care Leavers .......................................................................................... 10 1.5.11 Qualifying children and young people over 16 ....................................... 10 2. Assessment of applications .............................................................................. 12 2.1 Requesting further information to support the application ............................... 12 3. Awarding items and services ............................................................................ 13 3.1 Principles around Grant/Loan administration .................................................. 13 3.1.1 Repayment terms for applicants in receipt of benefits .............................. 13 3.1.2 Repayment terms for applicants not in receipt of benefits ........................ 13 3.1.3 Direct debits ............................................................................................. 14 3.1.4 Failure to pay ........................................................................................... 14 3.1.5 Setting up a loan repayment schedule ..................................................... 14 3.1.6 Administering Pre-Paid cards ................................................................... 14 3.2 Third party payments ...................................................................................... 16 3.3 Notification of an award/notification of refusal of an award ............................. 16 3.4 Gas and electricity expenses .......................................................................... 16 3.5 Bedding .......................................................................................................... 16 2 3.6 Laundry needs ................................................................................................ 17 3.7 Travel expenses (see Appendix F) ................................................................. 17 3.8 Charges for overnight accommodation (see Appendix F) ............................... 18 3.9 Providing furniture assistance for housing-related applications ...................... 18 3.10 How much to award (see Appendix F) .......................................................... 19 3.11 Delivery Charges .......................................................................................... 19 3.12 Crisis Payment Scheme budget .................................................................... 19 3.13 Timescales for processing of applications .................................................... 19 3.14 Timescales for retention of personal information .......................................... 20 3.15 Auditing Processes (spend cards) ................................................................ 20 3.16 Managing administration of users on the Prepaid Financial Services MACP 21 3.17 Process for administering prepaid cards ....................................................... 21 4. Case Studies ....................................................................................................... 22 5. Special circumstances ....................................................................................... 25 5.1 Proceedings under the Children Act 1989 (Children (Scotland) Act 1995) ..... 25 5.2 16 - 17 year olds claiming Job Seekers Allowance ......................................... 25 5.3 Hardship due to payment of regular income in arrears ................................... 25 5.4 Applying for a Lifeline ..................................................................................... 25 Appendix A – Disregards ....................................................................................... 28 Payments from the Independent Living Fund 2006 .............................................. 28 Payments from the MacFarlane Trust ................................................................... 28 Payments from variant Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease (vCJD) trusts ......................... 29 Payments from the Skipton Fund.......................................................................... 29 Other disregards ................................................................................................... 29 Help from another person or body ........................................................................ 29 Health and Social Services Boards/Trusts ............................................................ 29 Appendix B – Exclusions ...................................................................................... 30 Respite care ......................................................................................................... 31 Repair to property of public sector housing bodies ............................................... 31 Housing costs, repairs and improvements ............................................................ 31 Medical, surgical, optical, aural or dental item or service ...................................... 32 Work related expenses ......................................................................................... 32 Debts to government departments........................................................................ 33 Accommodation charges including meals and services ........................................ 33 Application for excluded item ................................................................................ 33 Maternity and funeral expenses ............................................................................ 33 Maternity expenses ............................................................................................... 33 3 Funeral expenses ................................................................................................. 34 Appendix C – Dealing with repeat applications ................................................... 35 Repeat applications .............................................................................................. 35 Disaster since the previous award ........................................................................ 35 Emergency since the previous award ................................................................... 35 Exceptions ............................................................................................................ 36 Appendix D - Excluded persons ........................................................................... 38 Students, Persons from Abroad and persons subject to immigration control ........ 38 Students ............................................................................................................... 38 Persons from Abroad and those subject to immigration control ............................ 39 Appendix E ............................................................................................................. 40 Definition of relative, close relative, partner, couple, child and qualifying young person ................................................................................................................... 40 Definition of ‘close relative’ ................................................................................... 40 Definition of ‘relative’ ............................................................................................. 40 Definition of ‘partner’ ............................................................................................. 40 Definition of ‘couple’ .............................................................................................
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