The Government’s Household Support Fund will help struggling families with the costs of essentials this Winter by providing an extra £54million to 19 local authorities in the South East.
The funding will help the 800,000 households living in poverty in the region with the cost of energy, water and food bills – as part of the £421million extension to the Household Support Fund across England.
As well as providing emergency assistance, the Fund, which runs from 1st October to 31st March 2025, will support community groups and projects to help struggling households as the Government tackles its dire inheritance and fixes the foundations of the economy.
Around 500,000 children and 300,000 pensioners are living in relative poverty after housing costs in the South East.
Liz Kendall MP, Work and Pensions Secretary, has said:
“Despite all the problems we have inherited, this Government has invested an extra half a billion pounds in the Household Support Fund, so we can families and the poorest pensioners who need it most this winter.
“This £54 million boost will support families who need it in the South East with the costs of feeding children, heating homes, or helping people get to work.
“This comes alongside our work to fix the foundations of our country, grow the economy and deliver opportunities for people to get work and get on in work, so everyone feels better off.”
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The new funding comes alongside wider Government plans to create opportunity for everyone as it tackles the roots causes of poverty through the Child Poverty Strategy, helps people find better, secure work with the Get Britain Working White Paper, and protects pensioners with the Triple Lock.
Households in the South East in need of financial support can apply for help from the Fund through their local authority, with each council being responsible for distributing funds based on resident need.
Funding can also be allocated to charities and third sector partners to provide a range of services and products like baby boxes, heating appliances and school uniforms.
A full breakdown of funding is to be published on GOV.UK in due course.
“Despite all the problems we have inherited, this Government has invested an extra half a billion pounds in the Household Support Fund,
That’s so good of them. After all it was them that stopped the pensioner’s heating allowance,
They are not giving you extra money. It’s some of the money they took away from the pensioner’s heating allowance.