29 Oct 24
Care leavers in England are at risk of missing out on essential items when setting up their first homes due to the lack of clear national guidelines on the Setting Up Home Allowance (SUHA), according to new research by A National Voice and Coram Voice, published today to mark National Care Leavers Week 2024.
All local authorities are required to help care leavers with the cost of setting up their new home. On 1 April 2023 the Government raised the minimum amount for this allowance from £2,000 to £3,000. However, responses to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request sent by Coram Voice to all 153 local authorities in England revealed that care leavers are receiving vastly different levels of support across the county.
Our report finds:
- The lack of clear national guidelines has led to huge variability in how the SUHA is used, who is eligible for the allowance and when they qualify for it.
- Young people reported missing essential items and the lack of practical support when setting up home for the first time
- One in ten local authorities that responded to the FOI are not paying the full £3,000.
- Significant disparity across the country in the amount care leavers received (some local authorities pay £1,500 while others pay nearly £3,500)
- Over a quarter (27%) of councils have no written policy on the Setting Up Home Allowance. As a result, young people within an individual local authority can receive very different levels of support.
The research also found that local authorities were using the terms Setting Up Home Allowance and Leaving Care Grant interchangeably, leading to varying interpretations about what should be included as part of the package. Some local authorities interpreted this to include the purchase of furniture and appliances, while other local authorities included deposits, rent and utility bills.
In surveys and online workshops, many young people reported feeling subject to a stressful and confusing postcode lottery, without the vital support they need to make their first steps into independent living. Care experienced young people reported that they felt the current Setting Up Home Allowance wasn’t sufficient for their needs, wasn’t implemented fairly, didn’t give them enough choice and didn’t offer enough support when they were moving into a new home. One young person was left with no bed and had to sleep on the sofa, while another young person had no wardrobe or curtains. Another young person was put at serious risk when they had to install their own gas cooker as they couldn’t afford professional installation.
In response to the findings, Coram Voice makes the following recommendations:
- Fairness: every local authority should offer at least £3,000 Setting Up Home Allowance – no exceptions.
- Clear Guidelines: young people should know exactly what they’re entitled to and professionals working with young people should follow the guidelines
- Freedom to Choose: young people should have more control over how they spend their money.
- Enough support: the allowance should cover everything young people need to start out in their own home. What this is will change over time so the Setting Up Home Allowance must be reviewed every year to ensure it keeps up with rising costs.
Linda Briheim-Crookall, Head of Policy and Practice Development at Coram Voice, said: “Care leavers want to feel supported and trusted in setting up their new homes. Instead, they have to deal with complicated, stressful processes and what support they got felt like a lottery. We want to make sure that all care leavers get clear information about their rights and entitlements and that the Setting Up Home Allowance they receive is sufficient to cover all the costs they face in their first steps to independence.”
Read the Grand Campaign report (PDF)