Nottinghamshire councils have been given nearly £20 million to distribute to the county's most vulnerable households as the Government extends its cost of living support. The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has just announced details of the Household Support Fund's (HSF) fourth phase.
The fund was first launched in October 2021 and it sees the Government providing money to local authorities, which councils then use to help vulnerable residents with costs such as energy bills and food. The fund gives money out over a specific period of time, with the current third phase of the HSF due to expire in March.
But from April 1, the Government says it will now give councils across the country a further £842 million, which is to be used until March 31 next year. Nottingham City Council is responsible for rolling out HSF payments to its residents, whilst Nottinghamshire County Council delivers them for the rest of the county.
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In the latest round of the HSF, Nottingham City Council has been allocated £7,113,867.65. That brings the total amount received by the authority under HSF since its launch to £17,784,669.13.
Nottinghamshire County Council has been allocated £11,292,900.05 in the latest round of funding. That brings the total amount received by that authority under HSF to £28,232,250.13.
Details will be announced in due course by both authorities on how people can apply for the funding and how it will be used. At Nottingham City Council, the key focus of the most recent HSF money was supporting people on means tested benefits or low incomes with the cost of energy.
At Nottinghamshire County Council, households with children in receipt of free school meals and those who may face homelessness were among the groups targeted by the most recent HSF funding. Mims Davies, THE DWP Minister for Social Mobility, Youth and Progression, said: "The Household Support Fund has already helped vulnerable families across England through these challenging times and I am pleased it will continue to do so for another full year.
"This is just one part of our extensive and targeted £26 billion support package, which includes payments worth £900 for millions of people on benefits and additional support for disabled people and pensioners, whilst every household will continue to save money thanks to our Energy Price Guarantee."
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