FOI Request - Scottish Welfare Fund Decision Making

Request 101002879004

1. All policy and procedures relating to Scottish welfare fund decision making.
2. All documents relating to Scottish Welfare fund award criteria including all documents developed by local authority staff.
3. Copies of any policy or guidance issued to staff when taking a phone application
4. Copies of any policy on what to do when an item is requested in a CCG application which cannot be provided in kind.

Response 23-09-21

1. All policy and procedures relating to Scottish welfare fund decision making.
Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF) decisions are made in accordance with the statutory guidance from Scottish Governments which is available at Scottish Welfare Fund: statutory guidance – March 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Moray Council does not have local policy or procedures. Local policy/procedures are therefore exempt from release under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information Not Held. 

2. All documents relating to Scottish Welfare fund award criteria including all documents developed by local authority staff.
All SWF awards are made in accordance with the statutory guidance referred to above. Moray Council does not use other documentation relating to award criteria. Documentation specific to Moray Council is therefore exempt from release under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information Not Held. 

3. Copies of any policy or guidance issued to staff when taking a phone application
Staff taking telephone SWF applications are not involved in making SWF decisions. Their remit is only to ask the questions in our on-line application form and record the responses given therefore there is no policy or guidance issued to contact centre staff specific to SWF. This information is therefore exempt from release under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information Not Held. 

4. Copies of any policy on what to do when an item is requested in a CCG application which cannot be provided in kind.
Decisions on how an item is awarded following a CCG application, if it can’t be provided in kind, is made on a cases by case basis and in accordance with the statutory guidance referred to above at 4.50-4.51; we do not have a policy. This information is therefore exempt from release under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information Not Held.