Council chiefs have signed off on a £3 million package to support residents with the cost-of-living crisis, including energy, food costs and childcare. At a meeting on Wednesday afternoon, the cabinet approved a series of proposals which would see millions invested in services and to ‘widen the safety net’ for residents ‘most vulnerable to financial crisis’.
The authority says that Oldham already has some of the highest rates of deprivation in the country and it is predicting a ‘significant increase’ in demand for financial help in the coming months as energy prices and inflation increase. The plans will see funding provided to Oldham Foodbank and the creation of ‘warm banks’ – spaces for residents to go to freely if they are struggling to afford to heat their homes.
The report to cabinet states: “The rising costs of fuel, food and other essentials are combining with existing disadvantage and vulnerability within our communities will put many Oldham households at greater risk of both immediate hardship and longer-term negative impacts not just on their finances but on wider health and wellbeing.”
READ MORE: A quarter of people in Greater Manchester have cut back on meals as cost-of-living spirals
Despite the government paying a £400 energy rebate from October, without additional support the town hall says that many poorer households will ‘face hardship’ over winter.
It has put forward a £3m package of support, which mostly focuses on prevention but also aims to increase the amount of help offered to those most vulnerable to the cost-of-living crisis.
Speaking at the cabinet meeting, council leader Amanda Chadderton told members the investment was ‘absolutely crucial’ for the council and its residents.
“Cost of living is already hitting Oldhamers hard and we’re determined as a council and a leadership team to help all our residents as they face this challenge over the coming winter,” she said.
“The reality is we cannot wait for the government. We see too many of our residents are already panicking about are they going to heat or are they going to eat over the next six months.
“People are worried about how they’re going to cope over the winter. These people will turn to the council’s services for help and we want them to do that as soon as possible to ensure we can help them before they reach crisis point.
“We don’t want anyone having to choose between going cold or going hungry.
“This extra £3m, which is one of the biggest investment packages we’ve seen for the cost of living across the country, and certainly the highest in Greater Manchester, will have a huge impact on people’s lives, providing practical support with things such as housing and energy costs while also putting more money in people’s pockets to help them stay afloat.”
She added they were already seeing high demand for the support services provided by the authority.
As part of the investment, the Warm Homes Oldham programme will double in size, with more energy and fuel advisors and increased grants to help with emergency fuel vouchers, boiler replacements, and retrofitting and repairs to help residents with fuel costs.
Additional funding would also be allocated for grant and support schemes to provide ‘urgent assistance’ to residents in crisis.
These would help with the costs of things like food, fuel, housing and childcare and can be accessed through the council’s helpline, in-person advice sessions and through voluntary organisations.
It also includes the launch of a specific scheme to help households facing homelessness as a result of the unfolding crisis.
Warm spaces, to act as ‘warm banks’ would also be created across the borough, with at least three in each district. They would be a ‘warm safe space’ for people with staff and volunteers trained to offer more support if it was needed.
Nearly £500k is to be allocated to Oldham’s voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector to help the most marginalised communities in the borough.
It will see organisations that provide essential help can continue to deliver support, including fuel and food vouchers. It will also be used to support Oldham Foodbank.
As part of this, Action Together is to deliver a £100k ‘fast grant’ scheme to community and voluntary organisations to support work, including the setting up of community ‘warm banks’.
Extra weekly Citizens Advice surgeries across the borough would be offered to increase the amount of support and advice on offer.
And £600k would be invested in the council’s community engagement team which is tasked with reaching out to residents in their homes to check on their wellbeing, signpost them to support and provide advice. This would start by targeting those most in need, including the elderly.
This will cover the expansion of the council’s telephone helpline, at its support centre Access Oldham and at weekly advice sessions in all districts with the recruitment of seven additional advisors.
A scheme to lend out digital devices from Oldham’s library which supports residents with digital exclusion will also be expanded, and additional staff will be provided to help people with digital skills.
Finally all primary and secondary schools in Oldham will be supported to help children in financial hardship, ‘including reducing the financial costs associated with attending and participating in all aspects of school life’.
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