Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support her Department provides to local authorities to ensure the provision of (a) local welfare assistance and (b) other services to (i) families and (ii) young people in crisis.

The Welfare Reform Act 2012 abolished Social Fund Crisis Loans and Community Grants from April 2013. The funding was passed over to local authorities in England and devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales on a non-ringfenced basis, and with no statutory duties attached.

DWP provides a network of around 300 specialised work coaches for the cross government Troubled Families Programme. These Troubled Families Employment Advisers (TFEAs) support families across all local authority areas in England, providing tailored, one to one employment and welfare support. TFEAs also upskill local authorities and partners on employment matters.

DWP is working with all top tier local authorities in England to help them to address parental conflict, which can harm children’s outcomes. 98% of local authorities have taken up our offer of training for frontline practitioners and support for strategic leaders, to increase local capability in addressing parental conflict.