The DfE Transition to Adulthood Guidance states that all local authorities are required to offer care leavers a Setting Up Home Allowance (SUHA) to help them buy essential items for their new home. The guidance highlights that “local authority allocation of Setting Up Home Allowances will be crucial in helping young people establish their identity and independence and should be used to ensure that they have appropriate equipment and household items to set up safe, secure and stable accommodation”.
However, recent research by Coram Voice has uncovered a system that allows for huge variability in how much young people receive, how the SUHA is used, and the levels of practical support offered. This has left many care leavers feeling that they were subject to a stressful and confusing postcode lottery, without the vital support they need to make their first steps into independent living.
The government raised the minimum amount for this allowance from £2,000 to £3,000 on 1 April 2023. However, responses to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request sent by Coram Voice and A National Voice to all 153 local authorities in England, of which 124 councils (81%) replied, revealed that 10% of councils are not paying the statutory minimum of £3,000. The response also highlighted significant disparity across the country in the amount care leavers received, with some local authorities paying £1,500 while others pay nearly £3,500.
In response to a question about whether care leavers who had already received their allowance before the minimum was raised to £3,000 would be eligible for an uplift, 45 councils (36%) said no and 30 (23%) did not know. An analysis of the responses indicated inconsistency in eligibility criteria for the additional funds with authorities having different policies depending on whether the individual had turned 18 as of 1 April 2023, and whether the individual moved into their permanent residence after that. Some cases required the individual to have accessed only 50% of the original allowance amount and others could vary according to managerial discretion. The FOI also revealed that in some authorities, all care leavers up to 25 could access the increased allowance.
The statutory guidance states that details of the entitlement must be “publicised so that their young people are fully aware of it”. However, the research revealed that 27% of councils have no written policy on the SUHA. Consequently, practitioners within an authority can offer very different levels of support. The research also found councils used 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 interpreted this to include the purchase of furniture and appliances, while the others included deposits, rent and utility bills.
A National Voice also gathered the views of care-experienced young people via surveys and online workshops to understand the choice and support young people received when spending their allowance. Many care leavers reported missing out on essential items when setting up their first homes – one young person was left with no bed and had to sleep on the sofa, while another had no wardrobe or curtains.
Care leavers also reported that they experienced a lack of choice and the support needed to help build independent living skills. One young person reported that their first personal adviser took them shopping for appliances while their second simply bought items without consulting them.
The Grand Campaign
The research forms the basis of the Grand Campaign, an initiative launched by A National Voice to ensure that all care leavers receive the full support they are entitled to. The campaign makes the following recommendations:
Every local authority should offer at least £3,000 SUHA to every care leaver, up to age 25.
An end to the postcode lottery, where young people in some areas receive more than in others.
Young people should receive a clear, written document outlining exactly what they are entitled to. The document should be easily searchable and readily comprehensible so that care leavers know their rights and can raise concerns.
Care leavers should have more control over how they spend their money.
The allowance should cover everything young people need to start out in their own home.
The SUHA must be reviewed at least every year to ensure it keeps up with rising costs.
By working together with care leavers, local authorities can ensure that the SUHA provides fair, clear and consistent support for all.
- Emma Hosking is participation manager at Coram Voice
