More than £11m is being given to Nottinghamshire County Council to help households get extra support this year as the cost of living crisis continues. In the fourth round of the Government’s Household Support Fund, the council has received £11.2 million to cover a full year of support to households from March 2023 to March 2024.
The support will help around 40,000 households across the county and will be administered by the County Council in partnership with borough and district councils. This support will include one-off summer and winter support payments, each worth around £100 per household, continued support for families with children entitled to free school meals as well as other households and individuals struggling with rising costs.
Of the funds received, £3.2 million will be shared among 19,000 households with children in receipt of free school meals, or with children five or under with an equivalent eligibility. A further £3.2 million will be distributed among 15,500 households where one or more person receives or is eligible for Pension Credit.
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Another £3.2 million will be shared among any other households struggling with rising costs, particularly those who may not be eligible for other government support. In addition to these portions, £400,000 is being set aside to help buy white goods for those who can’t afford an oven or fridge etc, and a sum of £500,000 is due to be used as discretionary housing payments to help those facing homelessness.
It is expected that the first set of payments will be distributed this summer, and families in receipt of free school meals or Pension Credit will once again be contacted directly by the county council with details of how to apply for a seasonal payment.
Previous Household Support Funds have seen three sets of £5.6 million funds given to the county, each covering a six-month period. The third round ended on March 31, and had allowed the County Council to deliver a one-off winter support voucher payment worth around £100 for each eligible household.
This support included £2.6 million worth of vouchers benefitted more than 18,500 families with children eligible for free school meals or equivalent, over £1.85 million was distributed to help more than 14,600 vulnerable people of a pensionable age, and £210,000 used as discretionary housing payments to help those at risk of being homeless. The help also meant that vouchers worth £415,300 were allocated on a referral basis, and an additional £67,168 was spent providing basic white good items such as ovens and fridges to those who can’t afford to buy them or have them replaced.
Councillor John Cottee, Cabinet Member for Communities, said: "We are delighted that the government has extended this funding which this time has been allocated for the whole year. This helps us to plan the fairest and most timely way to get the funds to those who need them the most and help ease their financial worries.
“To help reach those who may not be eligible for other government support and are in need of essential items such as ovens and fridges, an even wider range of organisations, such as community-based support groups, will work with us to help identify those most in need of support.” Councillor Tracey Taylor, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said the latest round of funding will build on the county council’s overall work to deliver support for those struggling to make ends meet.
She said: “This shows our continued commitment to helping households who are most in need of support, including helping low-income households with children entitled to free school meals or equivalent. This support is in addition to other continuing schemes to support the wellbeing of children in the county, including our Holiday Activities and Food programme (HAF) which focuses on supporting youngsters to improve their knowledge of health and nutrition and encouraging them to eat more healthily and be more active during school holidays.”
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