Vulnerable households across the city will receive additional energy support this winter after the Government's Household Support Fund issues an additional £3.5m to Nottingham City Council. The money will be distributed to struggling pensioners, families and vulnerable households in Nottingham amid the cost of living crisis.
The money will be given to people to help ease the pressure of increasing energy costs over the coming months. This is the third round of funding received by the council, which has previously included e-vouchers for energy bills and supermarkets, including over the school holidays for pupils that receive free school meals.
Through the Household Support Fund, £1.5m will be used to provide energy support for families and other households, and £1.37m will be used on supermarket vouchers for free school meals. A further £230,000 will be given to food banks and social eating projects, £150,000 will be given as supermarket vouchers for vulnerable households, £50,000 will be used as help for care leavers, and the final £40,000 will be used as refugee support.
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This latest grant means that more than £10m has been distributed to vulnerable people in the city since October 2021. The latest sum of money means that more than 18,000 children eligible for free school meals in the city will continue to get supermarket vouchers for the Christmas and February holidays, in addition to access to free half-term activities.
It has been recommended by the government that the key focus for this grant is to support Nottingham households with the cost of energy over the winter months. The City Council is continuing to work with community partners and welfare advice agencies to support the most vulnerable residents.
The breakdown of support is as follows:
- Energy support for families and other households: £1.5m
- Supermarket vouchers for free school meal pupils: £1.37m
- Food banks and social-eating projects: £230,000
- Supermarket vouchers for vulnerable households: £150,000
- Help for care leavers: £50,000
- Refugee Support: £40,000
Councillor Adele Williams, Deputy Leader of Nottingham City Council, said: “We understand just how hard things continue to be for people across Nottingham at the moment. The cost-of-living crisis has hit our city particularly hard and we understand what it means for pensioners, working families and the vulnerable in our communities.
“We remain committed to supporting Nottingham people through these difficult times and I’m pleased we’ve managed to secure this funding. It’s important that money and support reaches those people in the greatest financial crisis.
"We recognise that energy or food vouchers, though much-needed, are only temporary and partial relief to people. The bigger issue is helping them to find ways to manage longer term."
She added: "We’d therefore urge our residents to contact ourselves or partner support agencies and charities, who can offer advice about finances and the wider support available. We hope this support will ease the strain on our most vulnerable households and help pensioners, families and anyone in financial crisis through these difficult times.”
All residents who have contacted the council through a partner or agency, and that have received energy vouchers since June through the previous scheme, will automatically receive two energy vouchers of £49 between now and end of December.
Residents who have not already applied through one of these organisations can contact them to apply for this round of energy vouchers. This includes Nottingham Advice Centres, Age UK Notts and other local community organisations including Nottingham City Homes and Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing.
New applications will open on November 14, and by contacting community partners for help, people will also be able to access a wide range of support, including help with food and other essentials.
This support will ensure that people in financial crisis will receive advice about the welfare and benefits they are eligible for, and the short term support of energy and food vouchers to help households with immediate needs.
Food banks, advice agencies and charities can further help by putting people in touch with support services that they may need, such as services such as safer housing, safer borrowing and debt management. The Household Support Fund will also be used to buy extra supplies for food banks and social eating locations.
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