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See Social Fund for other uses of the term. The Social Fund in the UK was a form of welfare benefit provision payable for exceptional or intermittent needs, in addition to regular payments such as Jobseeker's Allowance or Income Support. The United Kingdom coalition government has abolished the discretionary social fund with effect from April 2013, by means of legislation contained in the Welfare Reform Act 2012.〔Welfare Reform Act 2012, ss.70-73.〕 Community care grants and crisis loans will be abolished from April 2013 and instead funding is being made available to local authorities in England and to the devolved administrations to provide such assistance in their areas as they see fit.〔House of Commons Library (2012) ''Localisation of the Social Fund'', Standard Note: SN06413, Steven Kennedy, Social policy section. Available at: (Parliament website ) (accessed 7 November 2012).〕 ==Introduction== There were two categories of Social Fund: # a ‘discretionary’ social fund intended to respond flexibly to meet exceptional and intermittent needs; and # a ‘regulated’ fund intended to cover maternity, funeral, winter fuel and heating expenses. The social fund schemes were implemented in 1987 to 1988, as part of an overall review of benefits (the ''Fowler reviews'') initiated by Norman Fowler, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Security (1981–1987) replacing the former system of Single Payments of Supplementary Benefit. There were three payments: # ‘Budgeting Loans’ to meet intermittent needs (more automatic and less discretionary since 1998); # ‘Crisis Loans’ for emergency situations; and # ‘Community Care Grants’ to help vulnerable people live independently rather than enter care institutions (part of a wider strategy to promote care in the community and link ‘cash’ and ‘care’ provision). The merits of each application were considered taking into account: the nature of the need; the existence of available resources; the possibility there is a more suitable provider; and the budgetary allocation. The complaints procedure relevant to the discretionary social fund differs from regular appeal arrangements. Reviews carried out by frontline staff could be further reviewed by the Social Fund Inspectors (SFIs) of the Independent Review Service (IRS) which is part of the Department for Work and Pensions, and managed by a Social Fund Commissioner〔The Office of Social Fund Commissioner is also abolished in April 2013. See Welfare Reform Act 2012, s.70.〕 appointed by the Minister. The SFIs' review applies both a merits and judicial review test. The details of the discretionary social fund are set out in ‘directions’, an unusual form of secondary legislation.〔See Buck,T et al (2009) ''The Social Fund: Law and Practice'', third edition (London: Sweet & Maxwell), which contains comprehensive annotations to all the social fund directions.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Social Fund (UK)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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