What this consultation is about
The Derbyshire Discretionary Fund (DDF) can provide grants or emergency cash payments for Derbyshire residents in urgent need of financial help following a crisis or disaster.
The DDF provides 2 types of payment for people in Derbyshire:
- emergency cash payments - small payments for when someone has no money for food and heating, for example when their benefits stop or there has been an emergency
- exceptional pressure grants - awards of household items for people setting up home, for example, after being homeless, coming out of hospital, or after a fire or a flood. Payments can also be made for rent in advance or removal costs
The DDF has been running for 10 years. Before this, people could apply for help through 'Crisis Loans' and 'Community Care Grants' from the Department for Work and Pensions.
Funding for the DDF has remained the same since 2013. The number of applications has increased each year, particularly in the last 2 years. We need to make some changes to the way the DDF works in order to stay in the current budget.
The questionnaire asks for your views on the proposed changes to the way the DDF works and has chance for you to tell us what you think of the current fund.