The other options the Department had considered, but ruled out, were: to make cash transfers to the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government or directly to local authorities to fund local arrangements for supporting vulnerable families; and to provide cash for schools to distribute directly to families of eligible pupils.9 The Department told us that it had been reluctant to make schools responsible for handling cash, and that there was no alternative scheme, such as a prepaid debit card, available that it could stand up in the time available.10