What is Local Welfare Provision (LWP)?

What is Local Welfare Provision (LWP)?

Apply here for local welfare provision

What is the Local Welfare Provision scheme

Milton Keynes Council provides a Local Welfare Provision scheme (LWP) which aims to:

  • Prevent serious risk to health, wellbeing or safety
  • Provide essential support in the event of an emergency
  • Help people to be part of the community

An award will normally be a one off payment, normally in goods or services, as a short term fix to prevent a long term problem.

Criteria

We will consider whether an application meets the criteria for Local Welfare Provision and if there are still funds available.

You can apply if you meet all of the following criteria, you are:

  • At least 16 years old
  • A settled Milton Keynes resident, or have been placed out of the area by Milton Keynes Council, or moving to Milton Keynes (after leaving care or prison for example)
  • A British citizen. If you are not a British citizen, you must be in receipt of benefits, or your immigration status allows you to access public funds
  • Unable to obtain help from another source
  • Without support there could be a serious risk to you or your family’s health or safety
  • If you are a pensioner and receive between 1p and £1000 per year over the income level to qualify for Pension Credit you may be able to access energy vouchers through the Local Welfare Provision Scheme. 

If you are a full time student, you will only be able to make an application if you are in receipt of benefits.

Items that can be provided

LWP normally assists with only the following items:

  • Beds based on number of residents  (double beds only provided to couples otherwise a single bed will be provided).
  • Cookers (electric only due to installation and safety checks) or microwave but not both.
  • Small Fridge Freezer (under the counter).
  • Washing machine for families with children of school age or a medical need.
  • Flooring where there is a medical need or in one room where there is a young child who is crawling. Only lino or carpet is provided. We cannot provide laminate flooring.

Items that are not normally provided

LWP will not normally assist with any item that is not essential for the health of the occupants of the home, this includes the following items (this is not a full list):

  • Sofas or living room chairs
  • Furniture, including tables, chairs and wardrobes
  • Beds for spare unoccupied rooms
  • Entertainment units, such as TVs, PlayStations, Sky boxes
  • Computers 
  • Decorative items
  • Dishwasher
  • Fixed items, such as kitchen cabinets and bathroom sanitary ware
  • Structural repairs to a property
  • Laminate flooring
  • Replacement items

Replacement Items: The LWP scheme will not normally replace items. This is because where a person is receiving benefits they can apply for a DWP budgeting loan to replace items. When people are not receiving benefits, they are expected to budget to replace items.

An application for an award of discretionary financial assistance can only be made once in 6 months. If an award has previously been declined and a new application is presented for the same need, a new award will not be considered.

Discretionary Financial Assistance Policy can be found on this page.

We have more information on this page to make your budget work for you.

How to Apply for Local Welfare Provision?

How to apply

Use the link below to make an application.

Apply here for LWP

A support worker (if you have one) can help you with an application, or alternatively assistance from an approved advisor such as the Citizens Advice Bureau will help.

A council officer or approved advisor will endeavour to see every applicant in person.

You may need to provide evidence to support an application.

Awards

Awards will normally be in goods, services or vouchers. Cash will not normally be paid.

Applicants will be given details of other services that may provide financial and other relevant support. As part of the process they will be considered for a Discretionary Housing Payment (if appropriate).

Applicants will be encouraged to engage with a support service.

Reviews of decisions

There is no statutory right of appeal against an award decision. You can however request a review. If you accept a payment or redeem a voucher, you will be treated as having accepted the award, and no review can be carried out.

Other ways to get help

Make sure you claim the benefits to which you are entitled. The Department for Work and Pensions will still deal with other parts of the Social Fund such as Budgeting Loans, Alignment Payments, Sure Start Maternity Grants, Funeral Payments, Cold Weather Payments and Winter Fuel Payments.

  • Try to find paid work or increase your working hours
  • Get advice to managing your money and debt from The National Debtline on 0808 808 4000. You can also contact the Money Advice Service on 0300 500 5000
  • Get in touch with the Citizen’s Advice Bureau for independent advice on 0808 278 7991

Job clubs

Milton Keynes Council and Milton Keynes College are working together with Job Centre Plus and a range of voluntary and community organisations to provide locally based job clubs to help young people and adults back into work.

The job clubs are based in community centres, libraries and Parish offices in the heart of priority estates so that as many people as possible can get help.

Discretionary Payments contact information

Civic, 1 Saxon Gate East, Milton Keynes MK9 3EJ