11.06.20
Extra £63m announced for local welfare assistance fund
Local authorities across England will receive a share of a new £63m funding package, confirmed today by Government (June 11), to help struggling residents to buy food and essentials.
The additional financial support will enable councils to further support communities who have been affected by coronavirus and would otherwise struggle to afford the essentials.
It builds on support systems currently in place such as provision of cash payments, food vouchers or Government issued food parcels, and supports the £6.5bn of extra support for the welfare system for the most vulnerable in society.
Food Minister Victoria Prentis MP, who leads the cross-government Food and Essential Supplies to the Vulnerable Task Force, said:
“The extraordinary circumstances of this pandemic have meant real financial difficulty for many households, with people left facing hard choices.
“To help those who are struggling to afford food and other essentials, today we are announcing an additional £63 million which will be given to and distributed by local authorities to those in need.
“Local authorities are already doing a brilliant job helping the most vulnerable in their communities and this extra money will enable them to help more families and individuals at this extremely difficult time.”
The announcement comes from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Department for Work and Pensions.
Responding to the announcement, Cllr Richard Watts, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Resources Board, said:
“Councils have responded quickly and effectively to the complex challenges faced by local communities and this funding will help them continue to provide much needed crisis support to households who are struggling to afford food, fuel and other essentials. We are pleased that the Government has listened to our call for funding to help pay for this much needed additional support.
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