Local Assistance Award Scheme
About the scheme
The Local Assistance Award Scheme, formerly the Single Discretionary Award Scheme (SDA), helps people on certain benefits in an emergency or crisis. The scheme can help people who need food, utility top ups, and in certain situations, it can help with goods for the home.
There is also a support element to this service. When you make an application, we may assess your need for other support services. Where we identify a need for support, we will make referrals to our partners to provide that support.
Applicants must be willing to take up and remain engaged with the most appropriate support recommended by the Council, which may include: money advice, budgeting support, access to banking products, access to digital skills support, better off calculations, access to job clubs and training and housing advice. Certain groups, including pensioners, will be excluded from any 'towards work' requirements.
We may not ask you to engage with 'towards work' activity where you:
- Are in receipt of Employment and Support Allowance and are in the Support Group.
- Are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance at either the higher rate of Care or the higher rate of the Mobility Component but do not fall into a protected group above.
- Are in receipt of Personal Independence Payment at the enhanced rate of either the Daily Living component or the mobility component and do not fall into a protected group above.
- Are a carer, in receipt of Carers Allowance.
If you do not engage with your support programme, any award that you receive from the Local Assistance Award Scheme may be at risk. Please read our policy and guidance relating to awards.
What you can apply for
There are three awards that can be made from the Local Assistance Scheme:
- utilities award
- food award
- goods for the home.
Where an award is made, it may be a combination of different elements.
For all applications relating to the Local Assistance element of this scheme we will consider things like:
- what type of benefits you receive
- whether you have lived in Derby for three of the last twelve months or three of the last five years
- whether you are suffering an immediate crisis or exceptional emergency situation.
Amount of the award
The Local Assistance is a cashless element of the scheme. You will be told within one working day if you are eligible to receive an award. If you are eligible, we can top up gas and electricity meters and provide vouchers for a local food provision.
If you are successful for local assistance, it is important that you come to the Council House with the requested documentation within 48 hours. Level of need is assessed at the time of the application therefore failure to produce the correct documents within this time frame will mean your application will expire. If you have failed to produce documentation in the time frame but are still in need, you will need to apply again so that your application can be reassessed.
If you are eligible for an award of goods for your home, you will be told what goods we can provide and how you will receive them.
If your application is assessed as successful you will receive a telephone call from us to discuss your circumstances in more detail.
If you are successful, you will be asked to bring in proof of eligibility within 48 hours.
You will be asked to provide:
- an up-to-date bank statement
- proof of address
- ID in the form of passport, driving licence, birth certificate/marriage certificate or National Insurance card
- proof of benefit.
How to apply
The quickest and easiest way to apply for the Local Assistance Award Scheme is online.
When we receive your application, we will contact you within one working day to give you any decision relating to utilities or food vouchers.
If you don't have internet access, we provide internet access points at the Council House.
We also have a range of reasonable adjustments for disabled people, tell us what works best for you. You can email welfare.reform@derby.gov.uk or telephone 01332 643790. Those who are Deaf or hard of hearing can use the textphone 07774 333 412.
How to request a review
If you don't agree with your Local Assistance Award Scheme decision, you must ask for a review within seven days of the date of any decision notice.
Once you have submitted your review, we will contact you to inform you of the outcome of your review. We may need further information to help us fully assess your application. If we are unable to contact you within 48 hours of the submission of your review, your application will expire.If your review request expires, we will inform you in writing and advise that if you are still in need, you will need to apply again so that your application can be reassessed.