Community and voluntary organisations, as well as town, parish and community councils, are being urged to apply for grants to help ease the cost of living in their local area.
A total of £500,000 has been made available by the Isle of Wight Council to distribute to local projects and initiatives supporting residents in food and energy poverty, supported by the Department for Work and Pensions Household Support Fund.
The first round of applications is now open and closes on 7th July. Further application windows will open this autumn and in spring 2024.
The rising cost of living is a challenge for many people, but it is especially difficult for low-income families with children, as well as pensioners, who might be struggling with food and utility bills.
Councillor Debbie Andre, Cabinet member for children’s services, said:
“I’m glad we can offer funding to organisations who are helping families and individuals experiencing financial hardship.
“We recognise the invaluable role that local organisations play in enhancing the quality of life for residents, and we are committed to providing them with the necessary resources to make a meaningful difference where the cost-of-living increases have hit the hardest.
“Whether supporting individual neighbourhoods or specific sets of vulnerable people, these groups understand the problems their communities face and the type of projects that could help deliver solutions — we’re very much looking forward to receiving some innovative and sustainable new ideas and proposals from all corners of the Island.
Article continues below this advertisement “I would like to urge voluntary, faith, charity and community groups across the Island to apply for a community grant and help to make a positive difference to the lives of local people.”
More than 60 organisations have received community grants from the Household Support Fund in the past year, supporting a wide range of projects.
These range from West Wight Timebank who have been funded to provide weekly food hampers to vulnerable households in the West Wight, to The Footprint Trust who provided families in need with cookery lessons to demonstrate cooking with energy efficient kitchen appliances, the supply of the appliance and a food hamper.
In addition to the grants, the council is using the funding to develop a suite of supportive measures that aim to help residents who are struggling financially.
Organisations wishing to find out more should go to the connect4communities website, which covers both the Household Support Fund and the Department for Education’s Holiday Activities and Food programme.
For further information about additional support available on the Island, visit the council’s cost of living web pages: www.iow.gov.uk/keep-the-island-safe/cost-of-living/
Makes little sense that the Council take from some poor in way of high council tax ( to fund it’s fleet electric car’s and Aircon) taxi fares, carparking,school buses etc etc then pay it back again. All this adminstration and burocracy of costs even more – reduce staffing and process
As those with children get free or heavily subsidised rent and council tax, never have to pay for maintenance to the property, nor save for new boiler, roof etc then THEIR income of THOUSANDS a year from child tax credits working tax credits and child allowance is a higher sum of disposable income than full time workers in most cases
Add free school dinners and transport free dentistry for entire family along with free prescriptions and extra help with energy and food costs, free gym membership and most can see they are not the poorest in society, just the biggest spongers And have time to enjoy the Summer too
See it how it is not how the bleeding heat BBC wish you to believe
Why do you keep changing your name.
Why do claimants of such often have children by unknown partners?
So they can claim to be single parents, get more money for ‘being so’ and then not have their partner ‘declared’ as the father, so they are not liable for funding what they bought into the world.
Then the points system for gaining a home is higher for a ‘single muver’ yet they father then has a FREE home in which to live, paying no rent or council tax, so all his earnings and often ‘dealings’ enrich the already well paid ‘muver’ and children.
Hence they live a lovely life at others expense.
Yet society keeps giving more and more to such, not understanding how a huge proportion of them are ‘using’ the system to the max.
You don’t like the truth to be told
So many persons have numerous children with numerous
Partners, so many of them are unmarried.
I know things are different compared to years ago, but the Island is fastly
becoming B*stard Isle.
Those getting free rent and c.tax don’t have to pay house insurance either or do the work on the property.
They often do cash in hand work too, all tax free, so pay in nothing yet take the most out of the system that we have to pay in more and more for. Many grow in tents in lofts, and many more deal.
Their children grow up seeing their parent or rarely parents doing very well by only working if they feel like it, and grow up the same or even worse and don’t bother at all.
Whilst you or I are in a hot workplace they will be lazing on a beach, or smoking dope in a state funded garden.
They need their money cut to the bone, vouchers for food and made to ‘feel’ what they really are, not victims but takers of the system.
Half a million Pounds? Where did that come from, I thought the Council was cash-strapped?
I’ve got no problem with help going to those who genuinely need it, but I think we all know that far too much help is given to those who make little or no effort to help themselves.
It is far, far too easy these days to live your life on handouts and benefits, there’s really very little incentive for some people to actually get a job and do a day’s work.
And, please don’t tell me there’s no jobs. Hundreds of 16 year olds have just finished school and have found work. Yes, it might be part-time or temporary or seasonal work, but if you’ve got any self-respect then surely even that is better than not working?
It’s not ONLY the amount of benefits that these parasitic beings take from full time workers but the fact that the ‘essential costs’ such as rent council tax, health care, school dinners, and help with food and energy costs are either fully met or heavily subsidised.
So much of their income is surplus hence painted faces, nails and lashes a foot long , Spray tans, and sat in coffee shops and bars if not sprawled on a beach whilst others fund them and their wombs contents for eternity
Yet the squeakiest wheel gets the most oil.
Another serious waste of our money which WE pay going to the breeding low life who NEVER pay in, but first in line to take from the pot.
Their income and lack of paying rent and c.t and all other freebies needs to be more widely publicised as many DON’T realise just how much they ‘get’ and how little they have to pay out in life.
They have all the time in the world to enjoy their lives but at OUR expense.
Give NOTHING to them as they get too much already.