I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 regarding any scheme(s) for concessions or discounts that you provide to residents on the basis of their receipt of certain benefits or other status. This request concerns additional passported benefit schemes run at the discretion of the council outside of their statutory duties.
Specifically, I would like to know:
Eligibility for schemes
Please list the full range of qualifying benefits or statuses that grant eligibility for the scheme(s) or specific goods or services within the scheme(s), including but not limited to:
• Attendance Allowance
• Asylum seekers status
• Carer’s Allowance
• Child and Working Tax Credit
• Council Tax Support
• Disability Living Allowance
• Employment Support Allowance (ESA)
• Free School Meals
• Housing Benefit
• Incapacity Benefit/Severe Disablement Allowance
• Income Support
• Jobseekers Allowance
• Looked after children/care leavers
• Pension Credit
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• Refugee status
• Universal Credit
• Veterans
Details of schemes
Please provide full details of the discounts, concessions and benefits available via the scheme(s), including both those directly provided by the council and those available via third parties. Please specify the following:
• Any membership or administration cost to the individual for access to the scheme(s)
• Details of the goods or services available
• Price paid by the claimant and amount of the discount for each item (including if free)
• Value of the item at full price to those not eligible for the scheme(s)
Administration of schemes
Please provide details about the uptake, administration and cost of the scheme for the last five years for which information is available, including:
• Total uptake of the scheme(s) as a whole
• Uptake of individual goods and services within the scheme(s)
• Numbers for each qualifying benefit or status used to access the scheme(s)
• Eligible population within the local authority area for the scheme(s), including eligible benefit caseload numbers or numbers of those with certain statuses
• Number new applications to the scheme(s) and renewals for each year
• Total cost of scheme(s) to the council
• Cost of individual goods and services within the scheme(s) to the council, including payments to third parties for their concessions
• Administration cost of running the scheme(s)