Guidance Document for Authorised Agents

The North Yorkshire Local Assistance Fund (NYLAF) operates through a network of specialist authorised agencies working with, and receiving referrals for, vulnerable individuals who may benefit from the services that the agency offers. A NYLAF application should be used as part of a wider package of support the agency provides to support the individual or family to overcome the short or long term underlying need. This document will hopefully be helpful in clarifying some common questions and queries about the application process.

Before Submitting an Application

There are some key points to be aware of:

  1. The NYLAF should not be the first port of call. The principle of the Fund is that it is a last chance safety net to support vulnerable individuals and families who have exhausted other forms of support and have nowhere else to turn. Other forms of support could include: family & friends, charities, food banks, other grant funds, statutory support, and advisory organisations such as the Citizens Advice Bureau.
  2. Applicant eligibility should be checked.Before an application is made the authorised agent must ensure that the applicant meets all the eligibility criteria, including satisfying a vulnerability threshold.This will involve seeing proof provided by the applicant that they are over 16, live in (or are moving into) North Yorkshire, and that they are in receipt of specific means-tested benefits or on low income. Due to the Fund’s limited budget it is really important that only those who are eligible apply to prevent any fraudulent activity.
  3. 5% of all non-emergency applications are audited. A small number of applications are randomly audited as a standard fraud prevention measure. If an application you have submitted has been flagged for audit you will be alerted at the time on the application form and also by email. You will need to securely send Connect Assist proof of the applicant’s eligibility as outlined above. You do not need to send proof that an applicant meets a vulnerability threshold – that is an assessment you make. You have 10 working days to send the documents to Connect Assist otherwise the application will be declined as the applicant is deemed ineligible.If there are going to be any issues with providing the documentation then please contact Connect Assist as soon as possible to let them know.
  4. No one has a right to a NYLAF application.The NYLAF is a discretionary fund and is not statutory provision. Meeting the eligibility criteria does not mean that you are compelled to submit an application on someone’s behalf. As mentioned above, the idea of the Fund is that it is used as part of a wider package of support provided by the agency. Application to the Fund should be at the direction of the agent and not the applicant. We understand that there will be times when a judgement will have to be made by the agent about the individual in front of them and their circumstances. Where you ever have reason to doubt the validity of what you are being told then do not submit an application. Wait until the applicant has returned to the agency on a number of occasions or ask the applicant for further evidence of their circumstances if you are unsure.

Prevention of Fraud

Authorised agents are the first line of defence in preventing fraudulent activity. We are fortunate in North Yorkshire that authorised agents are vigilant and committed to preventing fraudulent activity or identifying it where it may have occurred. As a result we have a very low rate of fraud particularly in comparison to other funds, which means that funding can be used to support those in genuine need.

If you ever suspect someone may be trying to abuse the Fund – for instance the information they have provided is inconsistent or doesn’t seem believable – then please report this as soon as you are able, to either or . The safety of agents is paramount and if, for whatever reason, you are unable to challenge someone at the time of the application then continue to submit the application as normal and alert Connect Assist or NYCC as soon as possible.

Similarly, if you are made aware of someone trying to sell, or have already sold, their award, for example on a Facebook selling site or at a local store, then please alert Connect Assist or NYCC as soon as possible. All instances of fraud are passed on to Veritau who have a specialist Counter Fraud Team. Veritau have similar investigatory powers to the Police and can follow investigations through to civil or criminal prosecutions. More information about them can be found here:

The Online Application Forms

The application form can be accessed from the North Yorkshire Partnerships page ( If you do not know your account details please check first with colleagues and managers. If no one knows then NYCC hold a list of many of the account passwords. Please contact if you are still unable to log into your account. If it is a password we do not hold then the only other option we have is to either send a password reset email or to assign a password of your choosing. If you request a password reset email then please let know what the new password is so that we can keep a record of it in the event of future accessibility issues.

If it is your first time logging into the system or if you need to refresh your memory then instructions on how to navigate and use the forms can be found on the left hand side after logging in:

Guidance for a specific question can be found in the online form as in the example below:

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