Independent Review Service  for the Social Fund   Journals and Digest of   Decisions    Homepage   Publications and   Leaflets     Journals and Digest of Decisions We hope you find the Journal is a great way of accessing news and information about the Social Fund. Journal articles cover a wide range of topics that are written to help us share our experience of current issues. The Digest of Decisions contains case studies highlighting individual parts of Social Fund law and practice. Each case study is based on an actual case reviewed by a Social Fund Inspector, though all personal details have been changed. Inspectors' decisions do not form any kind of precedent and each case is decided on its own merits, taking the particular circumstances into account. However, Inspectors do aim for consistency of approach in making their decisions and from time to time the IRS produces Social Fund Commissioner's Advice and Support Notes on various issues. These are normally included with the Digest of Decisions. Click here to be taken to the list of IRS Journal and Digest of Decisions available to download in Adobe PDF format.If you do not have Adobe PDF reader, it is available to download for free from the Adobe website. Please click on the link at the bottom of the page to be taken to the Adobe website. For efficiency and environmental reasons, the Journal is solely available in an electronic format. It is primarily intended for organisations who have an interest in matters relating to the social fund, including Social Security Offices and organisations who advise and represent our customers. We can notify you whenever future Journals are published. If you are interested in this service, and are not already on our mailing list, please send your details to info@irs-review.org.uk. The IRS welcomes comments and feedback about the Journal and Digest of Decisions. Please contact Steve Jewell, the editor at Steve.Jewell@irs-review.org.uk Date Summary Journal Digest of Decisions Spring 2012 This is focused on Direction 4(a)(v) - community care grants to help set up home in the community as part of a planned programme of resettlement, after an unsettled way of life. We look at the different parts of the direction and answer some of the most commonly asked questions. Journal - 41 irsj41.pdf (386kb) Digest of Decisions - 41 Digest 41 Summer 2011 Focus on changes to the crisis loan scheme which came into force on 4 April 2011. We set out the key changes and what these mean in practice in relation to applications for items and also those for living expenses. Journal - 40 irsj40.pdf (389kb) Digest of Decisions - 40 Digest 40 Spring 2011 We take a fresh look at the cash-limited budgets for community care grants. Examine how the role of the interview has altered in Jobcentre Plus, and how it still remains crucial to contact customers for important information. Journal - 39 irsj39.pdf (446kb) Digest of Decisions - 39 Digest 39 Spring 2010 The Welfare Reform Act; Changes to the scheme for crisis loans for living expenses; Direction 4(a)(iii); and managing performance at the IRS Journal - 38 irsj38.pdf (736kb) Digest of Decisions - 38 Digest 38 Autumn 2007 Communicating with our Customers. Journal - 37 irsj37.pdf (253kb) Digest of Decisions - 37 irsd37.pdf (115Kb) Spring 2007 Priority in Community Care Grants; Helping people apply, the Rep's perspective; New Style Decisions; Access to the Fund Myths. Journal - 36 irsj36.pdf (238kb) Digest of Decisions - 36 irsd36.pdf (136Kb) Autumn/Winter 2006 The Social Fund Research Report, published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation; Looking at the amounts of awards; Accessing Crisis Loans and Community Care Grant Myths Journal - 35 irsj35.pdf (262kb) Digest of Decisions - 35 irsd35.pdf (134Kb) Summer 2006 Applying for an Inspector's Review; The Family Fund; Crisis Loans for Items and Crisis Loan Myths Journal - 34 irsj34.pdf (399Kb) Digest of Decisions - 34 irsd34.pdf (140Kb) Spring 2006 Applying to the Social Fund, Repeat Applications and Changes to the Budgeting Loan scheme Journal - 33 irsj33.pdf (1.9Mb) Digest of Decisions - 33 irsd33.pdf (394Kb) Winter 2005/2006 Looking at access to the review process Journal - 32 irsj32.pdf (761Kb) Digest of Decisions - 32 irsd32.pdf (394Kb) Summer 2005 Articles on 'Help with clothing expenses', 'An update on Human Right Issues' and 'Cases involving representatives' Journal - 31 irsj31.pdf (243Kb) Digest of Decisions - 31 irsd31.pdf (97Kb) Spring 2005 The 30th edition of the Journal focuses on issues that are topical in 2005, and looks at how the review process has changed over the past eleven years. Journal - 30 irsj30.pdf (512Kb) Digest of Decisions - 30 irsd30.pdf (152Kb) Winter 2004 Setting up home - Direction 4(a)(v) Journal - 29 irsj29.pdf (596Kb) Digest of Decisions - 29 irsd29.pdf (118Kb) Autumn 2004 Looking at making the right decision and quality at the IRS Journal - 28 irsj28.pdf (1.2Mb) Digest of Decisions - 28 irsd28.pdf (128Kb) Spring 2004 Access and Justice Special Issue Journal - 27 irsj27.pdf (1.6Mb) Digest of Decisions - 27 irsd27.pdf (537Kb) Winter 2003/2004 Looking at Directions: Direction 4(a)(ii); Direction 4(a)(iii); Direction 7 Journal - 26 irsj26.pdf (2Mb) Digest of Decisions - 26 irsd26.pdf (530Kb) Summer 2003 Articles on amounts to award; telephone applications and judicial reviews Journal - 25 irsj25.pdf (167Kb) Digest of Decisions - 25 irsd25.pdf (74Kb) Spring 2003 Looking at Budgets, Budgeting Loans and Direction 7 Journal - 24 irsj24.pdf (116Kb) Digest of Decisions - 24 irsd24.pdf (74Kb) Autumn 2002 Looking at how subjects of refugees and asylum seekers, human rights, exclusions, shared parenting and Direction 4(a)(v) interact with the Social Fund Journal - 23 irsj23.pdf (377Kb) Digest of Decisions - 23 irsd23.pdf (74Kb) Summer 2002 Looking at the use of evidence within the Social Fund scheme. Journal - 22 irsj22.pdf (312Kb) Digest of Decisions - 18 irsd18.pdf (159Kb) Spring 2002 Looking at the issues of access to the Social Fund. Journal - 21 irsj21.pdf (412Kb) Digest of Decisions - 17 irsd18.pdf (165Kb) Winter 2001/2002 Looking at the role of the Inspector. Journal - 20 irsj20.pdf (457Kb) Digest of Decisions - 16 irsd16.pdf (163Kb) May 2001 Looking at the issues surrounding community care grant priority. Journal - 19 irsj19.pdf (323Kb) Digest of Decisions - 15 irsd15.pdf (183Kb) February 2001 Looking at the issues of access to the Social Fund review. Journal - 18 irsj18.pdf (257Kb) Digest of Decisions - 14 irsd14.pdf (161Kb) October 2000 Looking at the potential problems faced by customers to the Social Fund. Journal - 17 irsj17.pdf (240Kb) Digest of Decisions - 13 irsd13.pdf (177Kb) July 2000 Articles on the Independent Review Service's approach to Customer Service. Journal - 16 irsj16.pdf (256Kb) Digest of Decisions - 12 irsd12.pdf (224Kb) Winter 1999/2000 Featuring an article on changes to the Social Fund scheme. Journal - 15 irsj15.pdf (336Kb) Digest of Decisions - 11 irsd11.pdf (166Kb) PDF files can be downloaded and viewed by using Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have a copy of Acrobat Reader, it can be downloaded for free from the Adobe website at http://www.adobe.co.uk/products/acrobat/readstep2.html. Just click on the icon to the left, or the link above, to be taken to the Adobe site. Please see our IRS Privacy Policy page for details on how we collect your information in connection with the Inspector's Review and how this information is used.