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Date of Screening:
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Directorate: People
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Section: Early Help and
Communities
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1. Activity to
be assessed
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Distribution of Household Support Fund and the
procurement process for purchasing the supermarket vouchers.
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2. What is the
activity?
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Policy/strategy Function/procedure
Project
Review
Service Organisational
change
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3. Is it a new
or existing activity?
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New Existing
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4. Officer
responsible for the screening
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Claudia Trott, Katie Flint
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5. Who are the
members of the screening team?
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Claudia Trott, Katie Flint, Sarah Gee, Sharon
Warner, Chris Taylor
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6. What is the
purpose of the activity?
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To provide
support to the most vulnerable in Bracknell, with help with
essential food and living costs.
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7. Who is the
activity designed to benefit/target?
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Local authorities were allocated funding, based
on population size and deprivation, to support vulnerable
residents particularly
affected by the pandemic throughout the winter
period (to 31st March 2022) with the
cost of food, energy (heating, cooking, lighting) and other
essentials. At least 50% of the total
funding is ring-fenced to support households with
children and up to 50% to other households experiencing,
or at risk of experiencing, hardship as a result
of the pandemic.
Local
authorities are responsible for the routes of distributing the
funding and have been given significant discretion for setting up
the support and determining eligibility. Any funding not spent
by the end of the period must be returned to the
Department for Work and
Pensions.
The recommendation is to supply supermarket
vouchers to free school meal children and equivalent under 5s as
well as supermarket vouchers for low-income households on the
council tax reduction list. The purchase of vouchers is expected to
be approximately £450,000 from the Household Support Fund and
we have previously spent approximately £500,000 with our
current supplier therefore we would exceed the maximum threshold
thus a new contract is required to supply the supermarket
vouchers.
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Protected
Characteristics
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Please tick
yes or no
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Is there an impact?
What kind of equality impact may
there be? Is the impact positive or adverse or is there a potential
for both?
If the impact is neutral, please
give a reason.
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What evidence do you
have to support this?
E.g equality monitoring data, consultation
results, customer satisfaction information etc
Please add a narrative to justify
your claims around impacts and describe the analysis and
interpretation of evidence to support your conclusion as this will
inform members decision making, include consultation
results/satisfaction information/equality monitoring
data
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8. Disability Equality – this can include
physical, mental health, learning or sensory disabilities and
includes conditions such as dementia as well as hearing or sight
impairment.
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Y
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N
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This support will have a positive impact to this
characteristic group.
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The Councils Covid-19
Residents Survey (April
2021) highlights that the impact of the
pandemic on the wellbeing of certain population
groups may require more support than others to recover from the
experience of the pandemic.
·
Residents
with a disability are more likely than other residents to have
contacted the council, 46% did so since the start of November 2020,
compared with 30% of non-disabled
residents
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51%
of clients accessing the Bracknell Citizens Advice for support (as
of 20/09/2021) had a disability
or Long-term health condition.
This
evidence shows disabled residents are more likely to be in
financial hardship due to COVID-19. This scheme seeks to
alleviate some of this hardship.
Disabled
residents who are unable to work may be considered eligible linked
to the benefits they receive or the wider vulnerability
to financial hardship.
Proactive
communications will aim to reach the whole community, disabled
residents are particularly likely to be reached
through a leaflet drop to people who are Clinically
Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) which includes an overview of the
scheme. Council services and the
VCS will also work with residents with disabilities
and promote the information, such as through our
adult social care teams for adults with learning
disabilities, disabilities and mental health
issues.
The
information about the scheme has been designed to be
accessible through a number of methods; alternative
formats for the information will be available. The main
details of the scheme are on the website which offers a number
of accessibility functions including reading text
aloud. Partner organisations are also aware of the scheme and
will be supporting those who may have difficulty in accessing
services via the website.
The
Council’s Covid-19 Residents
Survey (April 2021) highlights that 77% of
disabled residents are confident accessing services online,
compared with 89% of non-disabled
residents.
Any
resident with a disability receiving a supermarket voucher can also
call the Council and a member of staff can complete the
redemption process for them over the
phone. The
process will also enable someone working with a vulnerable customer
to contact us on their behalf if necessary.
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9. Racial
equality
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Y
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N
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This
support will have a positive impact to this
Characteristic
group.
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National and
local data confirms that the impact of the pandemic on
the wellbeing of people within this
characteristic group require more support than others to
recover from the experience of the
pandemic.
·
Longstanding inequalities (structural and societal
environments, and socio-economic factors) indicate
that the COVID-19 Pandemic has had a disproportionately negative
effect on the BAME community’s health and
economic wellbeing. (Beyond the data:
Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on BAME groups
PHE June
2020)
·
During July to September 2020 the
UK unemployment rate (ONS Data) was 4.4% for people from a white
ethnic background and higher 8.5% when
compared for people from minority ethnic
backgrounds,
·
A Runnymede Trust
survey found that 32% of BAME groups reported losing
some income compared to 23% of people from a white
background.
·
White British or
Irish residents are more likely to contact the council: For
example, 35% of White British or Irish residents contacted the
council compared with 23% of Black, Asian or residents of other
ethnic backgrounds. (April 2021 residents
survey)
This
evidence shows some ethnicities are more likely to be in financial
hardship due to COVID-19. This scheme seeks to alleviate some of
this hardship.
Residents
who are unable to work or who have lost their job may be considered
eligible linked to the benefits they
receive.
Proactive
communications will aim to reach the whole community, a number
of communication methods will be used including through
social media, website content and the community information
champions. But specially in relation to race equality, the
Council will contact BAME community organisations and faith
groups to proactively promote the
scheme and can make translated materials
available. Communications about the scheme will be led
by Council staff, the voluntary and community sector and other
professionals who are working with BAME
communities.
The
information has been designed to be accessible through a
number of methods. The main details of the scheme are on the
website which can be translated into to other
languages.
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10. Gender
equality
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Y
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N
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Neutral
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There is no
anticipated impact to this characteristic. There may be some
disproportionate impacts of the pandemic on women who are more
often in lower wage jobs. Low income is considered as part of
the eligibility for this scheme which seeks to address any
inequality.
·
Mid-2018
population estimate shows the
population in Bracknell Forest has:49.6% male to 50.4%
female
split and will have equitable access to
the support
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11. Sexual
orientation equality
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Y
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N
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Neutral
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There is no
anticipated impact to this
characteristic.
·
According
to the Annual Population Survey in 2015 1.8%
of the population defined themselves as being
lesbian, gay or bisexual
(LGB) and will have
equitable access to the support.
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12. Gender
re-assignment
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Y
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N
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Neutral
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There is no anticipated impact to this
characteristic.
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13. Age
equality
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Y
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N
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This
support will have a positive impact to this
characteristic group.
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·
Households receiving other forms of assistance are not
excluded from receiving support through this
grant.
This
scheme seeks to alleviate some of this hardship for families with
children who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
Many families may have experience additional financial costs during
the pandemic where children have been off school and home
schooled. At least 50% of the funding is to be spent on
families with children.
Children
will be specifically identified for support via their schools,
early years providers, the health visiting service and through
current Bracknell Forest caseload information. Their families will
be provided with support with food for
the school holidays for the period covered by
the grant, for the additional mealtimes where children will be at
home.
Proactive
communications will aim to reach the whole community, a number
of communication methods will be used including through
social media, website content and the community information
champions. Schools, early years providers, the health visiting
team and voluntary sector organisations will be key communication
channels to contact low-income households that will be receiving
support through the Household Support Fund and ensure that we reach
all age groups.
The
results of the
Councils Covid-19 Residents Survey
(April 2021) highlights perhaps not surprisingly,
confidence to access services online is related to age, with
younger residents more confident than older
residents.
For older
residents who do not have access to or are not confident in
accessing services online will be able to call the Council and can
be supported through the redemption process of their supermarket
voucher by a member of staff completing the online form for them
and then posting this to their home.
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14. Religion and
belief equality
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Y
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N
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Neutral
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There
is no anticipated impact to this
characteristic.
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15. Pregnancy and
maternity equality
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Y
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N
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Neutral
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There
is no anticipated impact to this
characteristic.
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16. Marriage and
civil partnership equality
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Y
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N
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Neutral
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There
is no anticipated impact to this
characteristic.
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17. Please give
details of any other potential impacts on any other group (e.g.
those on lower incomes/carers/ex-offenders, armed forces
communities) and on promoting good community
relations.
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Residents that
look after family members, friends, neighbours or others for 35-49
hours a week are more likely to remain unemployed and less
likely to have accessed or received support (Covid-19 Residents survey). They may
benefit from this scheme if they have low income. The scheme
will be proactively promoted to carers through the council’s
carers team and The Ark voluntary organisation who run the
‘Signal for Carers’ support
contract.
When accessing
services online 89%
of residents said they are confident to access services
online (Bracknell
Forest Council COVID-19 Residents’ Survey April
2021). Additional
measures will be in place to support those
vulnerable residents who may be digitally excluded to access
elements of the service that require
an online application form to completed. For
example, the form can be completed on behalf of the household by a
family member or close friend, alternatively a professional can
make a referral for this. The voucher codes that will be issued to
schools can be redeemed online or printed for parents
directly by the school if they are not able to access this online.
Similarly, for those that cant get this support from family/schools
they can contact the council who will ensure the vouchers are
printed and posted out as a hard copy to the
resident.
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18. If an adverse/negative impact has been identified
can it be justified on grounds of promoting equality of opportunity
for one group or for any other reason?
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No adverse or negative impacts
have been identified.
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19. If there is
any difference in the impact of the activity when considered for
each of the equality groups listed in 8 – 14 above; how
significant is the difference in terms of its nature and the number
of people likely to be affected?
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There are
disparities in impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
on certain characteristic groups (detailed above) who require
more support than others to recover from their experience of
the pandemic). This support will help to ensure that
there is more equity across service users
through a consistent eligibility and application
process.
The scheme is
likely to positively impact thousands of households across the
borough who are in financial hardship. It is estimated that the
parents of around 2,600 pupils and under 5s will receiving support
for food during the holidays. As well as around 4,800
low-income households on the council tax reduction list receiving
support through supermarkets vouchers. There will be a wider
opportunity for those who need support to apply for this through
the councils Local Welfare Scheme
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20. Could the
impact constitute unlawful discrimination in relation to any of the
Equality Duties?
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N
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21. What
further information or data is required to better understand the
impact? Where and how can that information be obtained?
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The
council is required to monitor and report to the
DWP how the funding is allocated and
spent. Given the disparities in the impact of COVID-19
pandemic on particular groups of
residents, targeted equality data will be
collected to ensure that the funding delivers a fair,
equitable and accessible service to those eligible households
having the greatest need.
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22. On the
basis of sections 7 – 17 above is a full impact assessment
required?
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Y
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N
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A
full impact assessment is not required as it has been evidenced
above that there are no negative impacts
to particular groups within the community and
actions have been identified to proactively promote the scheme
and ensure that the food voucher distribution and
online redemption process is accessible to all
residents.
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23. If a full impact assessment is not
required; what actions will you take to reduce or remove any
potential differential/adverse impact, to further promote equality
of opportunity through this activity or to obtain further
information or data? Please complete the action plan in
full, adding more rows as needed.
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Action
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Timescale
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Person
Responsible
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Milestone/Success
Criteria
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To ensure the procurement specification
supports the inclusive use of vouchers.
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November 2021
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Claudia Trott
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The awarded supply will provide vouchers that are user friendly to
redeem.
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To ensure the opportunity for wider support
through the Local Welfare Fund is promoted across the community
including through existing networks
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December 2021
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Claudia Trott / Harjit Hunjan
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Those who are in need of financial support can access
this.
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24. Which
service, business or work plan will these actions be included
in?
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Financial Hardship
Officer Group
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25. Please list the
current actions undertaken to advance equality or examples of good
practice identified as part of the screening?
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Recommendations build on learning from previous DWP grants, to
establish effective soltuons.
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26. Assistant
director’s signature.
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Signature: Sarah
Gee
Date: 08/11/2021
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