Money matters

Accommodation and Placements

The provision of a placement or accommodation costs

Deposit and Rent in Advance

A deposit and rent in advance if required up to the LHA one-bedroom rate for the local area

Leaving Care Personal Allowance and Supported Accommodation Adjustments

• £71.70 - responsible for all costs
• £61.70 – utilities provided
• £51.70 – utilities and food provided

Clothing Allowance

£5 per week

Savings Allowance

£3 per week

Lone Parents Entitled to Welfare Benefits

Leaving care personal allowance and clothing allowance ceases when benefits in payment.

Support to access Sure Start Maternity Grant, Health Start Vouchers, Universal Credit, Child Benefit

Sick or Disabled Young People Entitled to Welfare Benefits

Leaving care personal allowance and clothing allowance ceases when benefits in payment.

Young People Detained in YOI, STC, SCH or in Hospital

Up to £10 per week pocket money and £5 per week clothing allowance (YOI), initial clothing allowance on release if needed.

Personal allowance until universal credit in payment (Hospital).

Young People Living at Home – Section 31 and Section 23A

Personal allowance or transfer to parents

Qualifying Children

Subject to an assessment of need

Leaving Care Personal Allowance Reductions - Young People who are Earning

Where young people are working the personal allowance will be reduced and saved for the young person

Initial Clothing Allowance

Up to £100 depending on an assessment of need

Birthday Allowances 17th and 18th

• £332 total

Christmas and Festival Allowance

• £232 total

Travel and Contact Costs

Provision of a local bus/travel pass

Social Activities and Leisure

Leisure pass and up to £10 per week

Key Documents

• Birth certificate
• Passport
• Biometric card - UASC
• Travel document - UASC

Education, Training, Voluntary Work and Employment

£10 per week incentive, if not eligible for the 16 to 19 bursary

Education, Training and Employment – Related Support

• FE Stationary, equipment and educational visits grant – up to £225 per year
• Commencing work grant up to £100
• Prom grant up to £200
• Computer grant up to £350

Digital Connectivity

Support to access a smart phone and have internet access.

Introduction to Driving

1. 1 provision license
2. 1 theory test
3. 1 theory test booklet/app/cd rom - you will be supported to access the care leavers covenant free AA driving theory test app
4. Support to access an introduction to driving package – Children’s Services provide 10x1 hour lessons if young person contributes 10x1 hour lessons
5. 1 x Compulsory Bike Training package (CBT).

Winter Utilities and Heating Allowance

£10 per week if required to pay own utilities

Counselling and Therapeutic Needs

Practical support to access Bee-U and Beam Shropshire

Health Needs

Practical support to obtain a NHS exemption certificate and financial support if needed to access health services

Special Needs Costs

Practical and financial support, subject to an assessment of need

Cultural Needs

Practical and financial support, subject to an assessment of need

Religious Needs

Practical and financial support, subject to an assessment of need

Personal Luggage

Two items of luggage - £35

Celebration Event Age 18

To acknowledge the move from cared for to care leaver – up to £80 (£20 per person) to celebrate achievements

Consultation with Young People

£5.28 per hour

Subsistence

Up to £15 when undertaking visits with social worker / personal adviser (£7.50 per person where refreshments are needed)

Emergency Payments

Subject to an assessment of need

Exceptional Needs Payments

Subject to an assessment of need

Young People who are Detained YOI

16 to 18/21

• Up to £10 Per Week Pocket Money and £5 Per Week Clothing Allowance – 16 and 17 year olds
• Up to £100 Clothing Allowance Subject to an Assessment of Need – 16 to 21 year olds

Young People who are Detained Hospital

16 to 18/21

• Up to £10 Per Week Pocket Money and £5 Per Week Clothing Allowance – 16 and 17 year olds – whilst waiting for Universal Credit
• Up to £100 Clothing Allowance Subject to an Assessment of Need – 16 to 21 year olds

Accommodation and Placements

18 to 21/23

Support to access supported accommodation or independent accommodation:

Supported Lodgings

Staying Put

Deposit and Rent in Advance

18 to 21

A deposit and rent in advance if required up to the LHA one-bedroom rate for the local area

Leaving Care Personal Allowance Rates - Failed Asylum Seekers with no Recourse to Public Funds

18 to 21/25

• £71.70 - responsible for all costs
• £61.70 – utilities provided
• £51.70 – utilities and food provided

Initial Benefit Claim

18

• Personal Allowance Extended for 5 weeks whilst awaiting first Universal Credit Payment
• £71.70 - responsible for all costs
• £61.70 – utilities provided
• £51.70 – utilities and food provided

Council Tax – Exemption and Allowance

18 to 21/25

Exemption or payment of Council Tax – young person required to apply for any discounts – 100% if sole occupancy 50% if joint occupancy

Travel

Assistance to access support via a education/training provider, via the 16 to 19 Bursary

Qualifying Young People

18 to 21/25

Subject to an assessment of need

Key Documents

18 to 21/25

• Birth certificate
• Passport (valid up to 25)
• Biometric card - UASC
• Travel document - UASC

Introduction to Driving

18 to 21

1. 1 provision license
2. 1 theory test
3. 1 theory test booklet/app/cd rom - you will be supported to access the care leavers covenant free AA driving theory test app
4. Support to access an introduction to driving package – Children’s Services provide 10x1 hour lessons if young person contributes 10x1 hour lessons
5. 1 x Compulsory Bike Training package (CBT).

Personal Luggage

18 to 21

Two items of luggage - £35

Birthday Allowances 19 to 21

• £50 - 19th and 20th Birthday
• £75 - 21st Birthday

Christmas and Festival Allowances 18 to 21

• £75 (Christmas or Festival)
• £100 if the Young Person is a Parent.

Digital Connectivity

18 to 21

Support to access a smart phone and have internet access, this could be provided via the DWP or Care Leavers Covenant.

Your PA can support you to access the Databank offer (free mobile data, texts and calls via a sim card)

Telford & Wrekin Council are able to provide residents with free mobile data, texts and calls via a sim card to people in need via The UK National Databank, powered by Good Things Foundation and its partners Virgin Media O2, Vodafone and Three. Think of it like a ‘food bank’ but for internet connectivity data.’

For someone to be eligible to receive one of the sims, they must:

• be 18+ years old 
• and be from a low income household.

And qualify in one or several of the following statements: 

• has no access or insufficient access to the internet at home
• and/or has no or insufficient access to the internet when away from the home 
• and/or cannot afford their existing monthly contract or top up.

Winter Utilities and Heating Allowance

18 to 21

£10 per week if required to pay own utilities

Counselling and Therapeutic Needs

Practical support to access Bee-U and Beam Shropshire

Health Needs

Practical support to obtain a NHS exemption certificate and financial support if needed to access health services

Special Needs Costs

Practical and financial support, subject to an assessment of need

Cultural Needs

Practical and financial support, subject to an assessment of need

Religious Needs

Practical and financial support, subject to an assessment of need

Education, Training and Employment - Related Support

18 to 21/25

• FE Stationary, equipment and educational visits grant – up to £225 per year
• Commencing work grant up to £100
• Prom grant up to £200
• Computer grant up to £350

Further Education

18 to 21/25

Support to access Universal Credit, one-off payments, for course fees and exams

Telford and Wrekin Children’s Services - Higher Education Financial Support

18 to 21/25

Access to financial and practical support

• Computer – up to £350.
• A Higher Education Bursary of £2,000.
• A deposit for university or private sector accommodation in the area where studying.
• A Term Time and Vacation Accommodation Allowance - Up to the level of the LHA one-bedroom self-contained rate and/or the level of university accommodation.
• This amounts to a payment of approximately £5,575 per year – depending on location, the need for a deposit, type of accommodation (rent) and the nature of the course.
• Support to access Student Finance England Loans
• Support to access the individual university ‘Fair Access Offer’
• Support to access any benefit and child care entitlement

Post Graduate Courses

18 to 21/25

Support to access financial and practical support – financial support based on an assessment of need.

Young People Returning to the Local Authority Aged 21 to 25

Support to resume a leaving care and personal adviser service – needs based.

Consultation with Young People

18 to 21/25

Young people will receive a financial allowance of £7.49 (18 to 20), £10.18 (21 to 24), £10.42 (25 and over) per hour, (the amount is linked to the prevailing minimum wage for the age of the young person) plus expenses when undertaking consultation exercises.

Subsistence

18 to 21

Up to £15 when undertaking visits with social worker / personal adviser (£7.50 per person where refreshments are needed)

Exit Interview - Service Evaluation / Questionnaire

18 to 21/25

£10.50 reward for taking part in a leaving care exit interview/questionnaire/evaluation.

Emergency Payments

18 to 21

Subject to an assessment of need

Exceptional Needs Payments

18 to 21

Subject to an assessment of need

Setting Up Home Allowance

18 to 21/25

• £159 – TV License
• Up to £50 – Health and Safety Pack
• Up to £50 – Setting Up Home Starter Pack
• Up to £100 Gas/Electric Cooker Fitting
• Up to £100 – Contents Insurance
• Up to £100 – Removal Costs
• £3000 – Equipment and Decorating
• Total £3559

Young People who are Detained YOI

18 to 21

• Up to £10 Per Week Pocket Money and £5 Per Week Clothing Allowance – 16 and 17 year olds
• Up to £100 Clothing Allowance Subject to an Assessment of Need – 16 to 21 year olds

Young People who are Detained Hospital

 18 to 21

• Up to £10 Per Week Pocket Money and £5 Per Week Clothing Allowance – 16 and 17 year olds – whilst waiting for Universal Credit
• Up to £100 Clothing Allowance Subject to an Assessment of Need – 16 to 21 year olds

Asylum Seeking Children and Young People

18 to 21/25

Asylum Seeking Young People can access all leaving care support subject to an Assessment of Need and any limitations as a result of their immigration status

Criminal Injuries Compensation Award Payments and Personal Injuries Payments

18 to 21/25

Children’s Service will set up a Discretionary Trust Fund for all young people who have a CICA Award or Personal Injuries Payment and provide two trustees to help manage the Trust Fund