To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much funding the Government plans to allocate to the Social Fund in 2009-10; and if she will make a statement. (268701)

Additional funding for social fund loans was announced in the Chancellor’s Budget report on 22 April 2009, to ensure that support can continue to be provided during the economic downturn. As a result, the previous gross loans budget for Great Britain for 2009-10 was increased. The current discretionary social fund budgets for Great Britain are given in the table.

The regulated social fund is demand led, so there are no fixed budgets. All the funds necessary to pay claimants entitled to an award will be made available.