News / Charitable trust could abolish hardship scheme
TRUSTEES of Shetland Charitable Trust are being asked to axe its financial hardship scheme, which was created to replace the traditional Christmas grant paid to the elderly since the 1970s.
In a report going before trustees on Thursday, general manager Ann Black states that outside assistance required to operate the scheme is “becoming increasingly limited” and is not expected to be available in the future.
The local branch of the Age Concern charity is already voicing its concern, while trust vice chairman Jonathan Wills acknowledges the proposal is liable to be “contentious and controversial”.
Black’s report states that the trust does not have the capacity to carry out the work and that the £156,000-a-year scheme “also discriminates against individuals as it is currently closed to new applicants”.
No new applicants have been accepted since 2013, meaning others who meet the grant conditions are losing out. While emphasising that money is “not the primary reason for the changes”, Black acknowledges ending it would result in a six-figure saving.
The task of assessing which individuals are suffering financial hardship is “heavily reliant” on professional services provided by Shetland Islands Council’s social work department and the local Citizens Advice Bureau.
“These services were offered for one year only and will not be available going forward,” Black states. “Furthermore, the trust does not have the capacity to undertake these assessments.”
The short two-page report continues: “Although it is difficult to see how it could be administered, if continued and opened up to new applicants, the cost to the trust will be significantly higher and may not represent the best value for money or be the best mechanism for providing support.”
Black goes on to say that the scheme is the only funding SCT provides directly to individuals, with other grants made to charitable organisations, adding: “It should also be noted that the government sets benefits at a level to ensure that individuals have a minimum standard of living.”
A Christmas grant had been paid to the elderly in various forms dating back to 1976 before it was placed under review by trustees last year as it “did not target those most in need”.
In February an estimated budget of £100,000 was agreed for 2014/15 to “assist the most vulnerable individuals” who had been receiving the Christmas grant. That was increased by £57,000 in September to cover payments to all of those who qualified for assistance.
Wilma Halcrow of Age Concern said she would be disappointed if the charitable trust ends the bonus.
“Some people that got it said they didn’t need it,” she said, “but I know a lot of people that really enjoyed the Christmas bonus, and they were very pleased to get it, very grateful to get it.
“A widow’s pension doesn’t come to very much, and some of them never had superannuations or pension funds – especially single people, they never had that at work and they live on very little.
“They didn’t spend it all at Christmas, they kept it for a few extras if they needed anything.”
Regarding the cost of administering the scheme, Halcrow pointed out that when the Christmas bonus began 38 years ago there were “four [people] in the social work in St Olaf Street and they managed”.
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