The leadership of Liverpool City Council has written to the government to urge them not to scrap the Household Support Fund.
Launched in 2021, the fund exists to support vulnerable households however it is set to come to an end in March this year. Despite calls from across the local government sector to extend the fund ahead of his Autumn Statement in 2023, the Chancellor made the decision not to do so. Following this, Children’s charity Barnardo’s – alongside other partners – released the following statement:
“We are disappointed the Chancellor decided not to extend the Household Support Fund in the Autumn Statement today. This was a missed opportunity to provide certainty to local authorities with a long-term decision on the future of local crisis support. Time is now running out. The Fund ends in March 2024 leaving a major hole in support which neither local government, nor the voluntary sector, will be able to fill.”
As the end date for the support approaches, Cllr Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council, has penned a letter to continue calling for the government to extend the fund beyond March. With Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources Cllr Ruth Bennet also signing the letter, it has been sent to Laura Trott, Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Speaking about the Household Support Fund, Cllr Liam Robinson said:
“Liverpool has one of the highest levels of deprivation in the country and the Council works tirelessly to support our residents, especially those who are economically vulnerable.
“The Household Support Fund has enabled us to help 330,000 residents with food, fuel and other emergency costs over the three-year period, many of whom have needed access to support in each tranche. When the fund is scrapped in March many residents will be put at risk.
“Through the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, it has allowed us to significantly extend welfare assistance schemes providing vital support to the growing number of people who are struggling to afford the essentials, alongside others such as homeowners with mortgages, who have faced a sharp increase in costs but are ineligible for other support.
“In the short-term, the demand for an enhanced local welfare offer and crisis support provision is not reducing. It will continue to be needed beyond March 2024 to keep residents well, support them to stay in and enter work, prevent escalating crises, and reduce pressure on public services.”
During his appearance as a guest on the Public Sector Executive Podcast, Cllr Robinson spoke about housing in Liverpool and the work being done:
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