St Helens Local Authority recognises that you, as a care leaver, require support with your transition into adulthood to ensure it is positive. We act as your ‘corporate parent’, so it is important that we offer support and care like a parent would. This is to ensure we help you reach your full potential in adulthood.
This policy outlines the financial support we will provide to you as a St Helens care leaver. The financial policy will support you with key areas of your life such as:
- Setting up your home.
- Education, training and employment.
- Providing you with support to celebrate key events in your life (your birthday, Christmas or other religious events).
- Support to maintain contact with your family and significant people in your life.
- Support to keep up with your hobbies.
- Getting your identification documents.
- Learning to drive.
- Allowances for your essential items such as clothing.
- Emergency support.
- Holiday grant.
- Health.
The law sets out different categories of care leavers; the different categories are found in the 'What's my Care Leaver Status?' section and entitlements are outlined below.
All the above support will be recorded within your Pathway Plan that will be completed by you and your Social Worker or Personal Adviser. Your Pathway Plan will be reviewed every six months or when a significant event occurs. If you have returned to live with somebody who holds parental responsibility for you for six months or more, you will not be entitled to financial support.
For the full financial policy please see the attached document.
Your Guide To Financial Support As A St Helens Care Leaver
| Description | Amount | I am an eligible Care Leaver | I am a Relevant Care Leaver | I am a Former Relevant Care Leaver | I am a Qualifying Care Leaver |
| Allowances | |||||
| Maintenance allowance as I am living independently or in semi-independence (equivalent to UC rate for a single person under the age of 25) until benefits are approved. Post 18, you must have submitted a claim which is being processed. | Current 25/26 weekly rate | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Clothing allowance if I am living in semi-independence. | £240.00 per year | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| I am in an emergency, living in semi-independence or independently, and I don’t have clothing. This needs to be agreed by management. | Up to £250.00 | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| I am in an emergency and my safety/welfare is going to be affected. Evidence of circumstance will need to be provided. | Discretionary support, subject to agreement to work with other agencies. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Birthday allowance if I am living in semi-independence or independently. If I am living independently birthday allowance is provided for your 18th birthday and 21st birthday. | £110 per year from age 16-18 and 21 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Christmas allowance or another other religious celebration allowance if I am living in semi-independence or independently. | £50 on the festival after your 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th birthday. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Setting-up home allowance when I am living independently (including a first TV licence if required). Increase from April 25 | £3500.00 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Additional setting-up home allowance if I am an expectant parent or parent to my first child living with me. | £250.00 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Accommodation | |||||
| I am not able to access social housing and I need support with a deposit/bond and/or advanced rent payment. This has been agreed by the Local Authority | Discretionary amount | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Council Tax Discretionary Discount if I am a Care Leaver between age 18-25. | Stipulated by the Local Authority | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| If I have rent arrears from one incident and it is impacting upon me being in suitable accommodation, the Local Authority has agreed to assess my situation and potentially support me financially. | Discretionary amount, stipulated by the Local Authority and you may be expected to contribute. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| I live with my foster carer, semi-independent placement or in a residential home. The Local Authority funds my home up to age 18. | Amount agreed through commissioning department | ✔ | |||
| Leisure | |||||
| A leisure pass for me to attend a Local Authority gym or another gym where agreed by the Team Manager up until I am age 21. | Dictated by the leisure facility | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Funding to help me continue with my hobbies that are identified in my pathway plan up until I am age 21. | Discretionary amount to be discussed in your Pathway Plan. You may be expected to contribute and the activity needs to be 'sustainable'. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Holiday Grant | |||||
| An annual holiday grant if I am living in semi-independence or independently (subject to approval until age 21). Evidence of booking to be provided. This should be spent yearly, not saved up. | £215.75 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Education/Employment/Training | |||||
| Childcare costs if I want to attend education/training or employment and the support can’t be sourced anywhere else, through the DWP or an education provider for example. | Discretionary amount agreed by management for a limited period. You may be expected to contribute to the cost of this. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Bus pass to attend education/training or employment If I am not receiving the Government 16-19 Bursary. | Local weekly bus pass amount | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| If I am not receiving the Government 16-19 Bursary and I have 100% attendance at my education/training/employment provision. | £10.00 per week. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| If I am in an apprenticeship and I am financially worse off than I would be with benefits. | Discretionary amount provided to ensure you are not financially worse off | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Health | |||||
| If I need support for any specialist health needs or disabilities that can’t be met through universal health services. | Discretionary amount agreed in your Pathway Plan | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| If you need financial support for any emotional well-being services due to long NHS waiting lists, this request will be assessed. |
Discretionary amount agreed in your Pathway Plan |
✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Identification | |||||
| UK Passport | At current cost | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Driving Licence | At current cost | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Deed Poll certificate, if appropriate | At current cost | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Driving | |||||
| I am aged 17 and meet the criteria for 20 funded one hour driving lessons. | Amount stipulated by approved provider | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| One driving theory test and one driving practical test. | Theory - at current cost Practical weekdays - at current cost Practical weekends - at current cost |
✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Support You In Higher Education | |||||
| Accommodation costs (equivalent to the basic halls of residence cost at the university to be attended). Confirmation is needed after every term of your attendance. |
✔ | ✔ | |||
| Bursary (paid in instalments over the duration of the course). Confirmation is needed after every term of your attendance. This can be spread over 4 years if necessary. | £2000 | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Laptop and printer if you are beginning to undertake a programme of study at level 4 or above and you do not already have one. | Provided by the Local Authority if the education establishment can not provide one | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Book/journal allowance for study at level 4 or above for the first academic year. Any further allowances in subsequent years will need to be detailed in your Pathway Plan. | £150 per year maximum | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Stationery, including printer ink if required for the first year of study at level 4 or above. Any further allowances in subsequent years will need to be detailed in your Pathway Plan. | £100 per year maximum | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| University holiday accommodation you are not receiving financial support for any other accommodation. | Your university accommodation will be paid for the academic year or St Helens Local Authority will pay the equivalent to a single person’s rent in the area of your choice | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
