Thousands set to get cost of living windfall

Since the start of 2022, the council has paid out more than 145,000 grants worth in excess of £21m to city households facing the cost of living crisis and rising energy bills.

Now the council is planning to allocate almost £720,000 to hundreds of households who have not claimed their grant and others who were not previously eligible under the Welsh Government Cost of Living Support scheme.

Cabinet has approved a report for what are discretionary grants, with payments being targeted towards those with council tax discounts due to severe mental health issues or householders where a carer is living in the property. 

Other householders targeted are council tenants and others who were eligible for the support scheme but didn't apply.

In addition almost 11,000 households living in a council tax band E property who were not eligible for the main support scheme would get a one-off payment of £55 paid directly into their council tax accounts.

Rob Stewart, Leader of Swansea Council, said: "Many thousands of householders have benefited from the £150 Cost of Living support scheme since last year.

"So far 76,500 households have received help make ends meets at a very difficult time, worth almost £11.5m overall.

"Just over 40,000 discretionary payments have already been made totalling £1.5m.

However, our teams know that not every eligible household has made a claim and, as well as that, there are groups of people, who could with a little more support.

"That's why, under this latest discretionary scheme we've also tried to target those who were eligible but we know didn't apply and those in the council band E bracket who weren't eligible but deserve some extra help as well."

The report to Cabinet on February 16 said funding for the latest round of payments will come from an underspend of £717,000 left over from the original grant allocation made to Swansea by the Welsh Government under the cost of living support scheme.

The scheme closes on March 31, 2023, which means that any money left over from the grant allocation would have to be returned to Welsh Government.

The report says that the council's benefits and council tax teams have been able to identify those eligible for the latest round of payments and, if approved by Cabinet, the money would be paid direct to householders' council tax accounts or, in the case of some council tenants, their rent accounts.

Distributing the £717,000 by crediting eligible households' council tax or rent accounts would ensure local people would benefit as much as possible from the scheme without them having to register. 

Those who are eligible under the new discretionary scheme will receive a letter notifying them when the credit has been made to the relevant council tax or rent account.

More information: Cost of living payment - discretionary scheme - Swansea