LGC article March 400 words to submitted by 8 April Seeing the bigger Social Fund picture Gary Bell,

Operations Director of Business Process Services, Civica explains how councils can make delivering local Welfare Assistance a success with the right partnerships Just a few weeks ago, one of the most radical shake-ups to the countrys welfare system in 100 years came into effect, dramatically impacting the role of local authorities for the foreseeable future. By localising the Social Funds Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans, central government is asking councils to almost take parental control over their regions most vulnerable citizens. Many councils have yet to understand what the demand from citizens will be and whether the funding theyve been given will meet this demand. Its going to be a delicate balancing act, alongside ensuring that the money is used to help those whose needs are greatest. There is no one size fits all approach to this. Individual regions will have very different needs and councils will have varying degrees of experience managing welfare funds, as well as mixed levels of infrastructure to support it. First and foremost Id urge any council that hasnt already, to gather as much social fund information about their region as they can. There are various reports and guides available on the Department for Work and Pensions website, which give a basic starting point. Ensuring you have the infrastructure, the technology and the resources to manage and deliver local welfare assistance efficiently is essential. Its also worth developing relationships with local charities who already work with vulnerable citizens in your region to gain added insight into what they need. They can help you step away from the traditional method of handing over money to fix an immediate need and develop a more holistic and people centred approach that helps resolve the long term problems associated with those receiving welfare. We believe the delivery of successful local welfare assistance schemes can best be delivered through a blend of private, public and third sector working together locally. For example, we are working closely with both the nation-wide Family Fund and Five Lamps in the North East. Councils now have the money to help citizens, and private sector partners such as Civica can provide complementary resources, technology and logistics, to ensure a strong local response is delivered based on deep insight and understanding into those communities who need the most support and effective demand management. (397 words including title and subtitle)

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