WIRRAL library staff will be assessing people in crisis and needing an emergency cash handout after the Government scrapped community care grants.

From Tuesday of this week, local authorities will take over from the Department for Works and Pensions in managing crisis payments.

One-stop shop and library workers will now be among those helping those who need to apply for a new council hardship grant .

The new “Local Welfare Assistance” scheme will replace current crisis loans and community care grants.

The move could see the reintroduction of "food stamps" - vouchers reedemable for provisions at local shops and supermarkets - instead of cash.

Almost £1.4m of funding has beenmade available to the council for the programme’s first year.

But chief officers will be expected to find extra cash from their budgets should the number of grants needed exceed this amount.

Library workers will be asked to identify whether people are “potentially eligible” for the support and will help them make an online application.

Council leader Cllr Phil Davies said: “I am absolutely confident that library staff will be geared up to give this support and help to make online applications.

Under the Department for Works & Pension’s system, crisis loans are awarded to those in desperate need of short-term funding, while community care grants are aimed at society’s most vulnerable so that they can be more independent.

However, the council plans to administer non-repayable grants during the first year and will try to steer clear of cash payments to avoid “abuse and fraudulent claims.”

The DWP has said it does not want or expect local councils to replicate the existing system as each authority would have to be “flexible” to meet communities’ needs.