Home Essentials Grant Fund Resident Guidance Notes Version: V0.3 Date issued: 12.08.2016 Author: Hyde Charitable Trust Home Essentials Grant Fund 1
Guidance Notes for Residents We hope that the following guidance will provide you with the relevant information you need about a grant from the Home Essentials Fund. If you would like someone who speaks your community s language to help you complete the application form, please contact us and we will do our best to put you in touch with someone who speaks your language and understands this grant. They will assist you in understanding the application form, which must be completed in English. We will also do our best to provide these guidance notes in alternative formats, for example large print, if requested. Please contact the Hyde Charitable Trust Grants Management Team at Hyde Plus on 020 8853 6246 or e-mail us at grantsadministration@hyde-housing.co.uk About the Home Essentials Fund Grants The Home Essentials Fund is part of the Hyde Charitable Trust Grant Programme. The Hyde Charitable Trust (HCT) is a Company Limited by Guarantee, and a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. HCT is governed by a Board of Trustees and it owns approximately 7m of investment assets, which generate around 300,000 in income every year for the Trust. Although HCT is a separate company from Hyde Housing Association (Hyde), it works closely with Hyde Plus the expert Community Investment Team at Hyde, to help target its funds to the residents and communities who are most in need and invests money in programmes and services that have the most impact on the lives and futures of Hyde residents and communities. The Home Essentials Fund provides crisis grants for Hyde residents experiencing financial hardship. This grant covers the cost of essential household items to help ease living conditions. This grant can only be accessed by referred Hyde residents working with the Hyde Plus Successful Tenancies Team. The Hyde Plus Successful Tenancies Team works with people in breach of their tenancy obligations who need advice and support; and carry out extensive case work with those who are at increased risk of tenancy failure. Home Essentials Grant Fund Page 2
There are lots of stages and processes before applications are approved and items received. Generally you can expect your application to be completed within 4 weeks although if it is a complex request, or items are out of stock, you should expect completion to take longer and you will be updated accordingly. Who is eligible to apply? One application per household can be awarded to a Hyde resident, who is actively engaged with a Successful Tenancies Adviser. You must be a vulnerable resident as identified under Hyde s Vulnerability Policy. Your Successful Tenancies Adviser will let you know if you fall in to this category. You should not currently be in rent arrears, but if you are in rent arrears, you must have a repayment plan in place that you are actively working towards. This will be checked as part of the application assessment process and decisions will be made on a case by case basis. If you agree with any one of the following statements then you are eligible to apply: I am a Hyde resident named on a Hyde tenancy I am actively working with a Hyde Plus Successful Tenancies Adviser I am experiencing an unexpected crisis When to apply The Home Essentials Grant Fund is open all year round and applications are assessed frequently. Your Successful Tenancies Adviser will let you know if a Home Essentials Grant is appropriate for your stage of support. Before you start Your Successful Tenancies Adviser will have identified your needs and will make the application on your behalf. By fully working with the Hyde Plus Successful Tenancies Adviser you will be providing the information required. Completing the application form Your Successful Tenancies Adviser will complete the application form on your behalf based on your needs. Your Adviser will work with you to identify the item you need and assist you in selecting this item from our preferred suppliers. Through your Adviser you will also need to tell us how the item will benefit you and the situation you are experiencing. Home Essentials Grant Fund Page 3
This might be information about you, your household, illness, disabilities or care needs. How much can I apply for? Your Adviser can apply for up to 300 on your behalf, although there is scope for slightly larger payments to be granted at the discretion of the Successful Tenancies Manager. There can be only one application per household in any 12 month period. What can the grant money be spent on? We can help you to pay for: Vouchers from existing suppliers (Asda, Sainsbury s, Marks& Spencer, Love2Shop) White goods, such as a washing machine or cooker Home starter packs which could include pots, cutlery Starter furniture packs which include a bed and bedding Hyde Plus has some preferred suppliers which will always be used in the first instance to purchase goods. Only if these suppliers are unable to fulfil an order will we consider other suppliers. Where alternative suppliers are used it is likely that it will take more time to arrange ordering and delivery of items. What can t the money be spent on? You are not allowed to spend Home Essential Grants on: Payment of rent arrears Payment of priority or non-priority debts Regular childcare costs Medical expenses Activities or expenditure that happen or start before a grant is confirmed Activities that promote political or religious beliefs Purchase of alcohol or tobacco Any unlawful activity How are the applications assessed? Each application is assessed and scored by a Successful Tenancies Team Leader (in some instances by the Successful Tenancies Team Manager) and the HCT Grants Management Team at Hyde Plus. Eligible applicants will be assessed based on the information provided in the application form and against the following criteria: Home Essentials Grant Fund Page 4
1. Eligibility of applicants and activities for funding as per guidance notes and application form 2. Full information being provided as requested by the supporting Successful Tenancies Adviser 3. Evidence of relief from immediate hardship through provision of a Home Essentials Grant 4. Evidence that other means of financial assistance, including any statutory provisions, have been explored and a Home Essentials Grant is still required Who makes the final decision? A Hyde Plus Successful Tenancies Team Leader makes the final decision on whether to offer a grant or not, for sums up to 300. If the application is for any sum over 300 (in exceptional circumstances agreed by your Successful Tenancies Adviser) the Successful Tenancies Manager will make the decision. Applications scored to a Pass level will be recommended for approval. The Hyde Charitable Trust Manager is also involved in final decision making. Letting you know the outcome of your application Once an application is assessed we will let you know the outcome of your application by email, phone or letter, depending on your preference. Whilst every effort is made to process applications quickly you should allow 2 4 weeks to process the application and receive a decision. If you commit to anything before you ve heard if your application has been approved you will be doing so at your own risk and we will not reimburse you for the cost. What happens if you are successful in being offered a grant? We will write to you offering you funding and send you a letter setting out the terms and conditions of the award. You will need to sign and return the Acceptance of Offer Form you are sent with the Grant Offer Letter as soon as possible. If you take more than 2 weeks from the date of the Grant Offer Letter your award offer may be withdrawn and you may have to begin the application process again. What you need to do to receive the funding Should you be successful in your application, payment will be made directly to a Hyde nominated supplier (for example Argos). Home Essentials Grant Fund Page 5
Agreed items will be ordered and delivered to you and you must make yourself available to receive them and work with Hyde staff to make the necessary arrangements. You are obliged to inform us immediately of any discrepancies with your order as soon as you receive your item(s). This includes the delivery of any duplicate items that may have been delivered in error. Acceptance of duplicate items may be treated as theft. What you need to do once your activity is finished We will ask you to provide some information about how the item benefited you and what difference it made to your immediate situation. This monitoring information is essential so that we can continue to provide Home Essentials Grants to other residents. You will be contacted after you have received your item and asked to complete a short feedback survey. Where monitoring information is not provided (i.e. through the short feedback survey) we may not be able to consider any future applications from you to this, or any other Hyde Plus fund. Declaration By submitting an Application Form (via your Adviser) you agree to abide by the terms and conditions of the Home Essentials Grant Fund as they are set out in these guidance notes, and understand that any offer of funding will be subject to your compliance with our grant criteria. You also agree to supply feedback - for example photographs, case studies, surveys or audits related to this funding. Help and further information For further information please contact the HCT Grants Administration Team at Hyde Plus on: Telephone number: 020 8853 6246 E-mail us at grantsadministration@hyde-housing.co.uk Home Essentials Grant Fund Page 6