Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect on levels of financial and in-kind support provided to low-income families in different local authority areas of the devolution of control over the Social Fund; and if he will make a statement.

The reforms to the Social Fund in 2013 have allowed local authorities in England and the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales to deliver their own local provision for people who are in need of urgent help.

Our 2014 review published in November 2014 found that local authorities delivered financial and in-kind support more effectively than the previous provision under the Social Fund, and that therefore local authorities are best placed to ensure help is targeted at those who need it most, alongside their other local services. The Department has no further plans to carry out a further assessment.

Local authorities in England will receive more than £200 billion to deliver these and other community services between 2016-17 and 2019-20, and will have the certainty to plan ahead through our four-year funding settlement.