Agenda item

Government had released funding to support residents in Buckinghamshire since 2020, initially through the Winter Grant and Local Support Grant, and subsequently through the Household Support Fund.  For the period November 2021 to March 2022, Buckinghamshire had been awarded £2.4m of funding from the Household Support Fund to provide support for residents in need of help with food, fuel and other essential household costs.

In the Spring Statement 2022, the Chancellor confirmed that the Household Support Fund would be extended, and this equated to a further £2.4m for Buckinghamshire to use to support residents between 1April and 30 September 2022.

Cabinet received a report summarising how the previous funding allocations were used and setting out a proposed use of the additional fund between now and the end of September 2022 that would ensure it was targeted to residents in need of support and in line with the Government guidance.

Government had released funding to support residents in Buckinghamshire since 2020, initially through the Winter Grant and Local Support Grant, and subsequently through the Household Support Fund.  For the period November 2021 to March 2022, Buckinghamshire had been awarded £2.4m of funding from the Household Support Fund to provide support for residents in need of help with food, fuel and other essential household costs.

In the Spring Statement 2022, the Chancellor confirmed that the Household Support Fund would be extended, and this equated to a further £2.4m for Buckinghamshire to use to support residents between 1April and 30 September 2022.

Cabinet received a report summarising how the previous funding allocations were used and setting out a proposed use of the additional fund between now and the end of September 2022 that would ensure it was targeted to residents in need of support and in line with the Government guidance.

During discussion the following points were noted:

·         A Member briefing had been organised for 31 May 2022.

·         Since November 2020 Government funding was focused on food support. The Winter Grant and Local Support Grant of £2.4million, a holiday activity and food programme fund of £1 million in 2021/22 and another million this year 2022/23. There was a Household Support Fund of £2.4 million from October 2021 to March 2022 and the latest Support Fund of £2.4 million from April 2022 to September 2022.

·         The Helping Hands Team had worked collaboratively across partners to assist residents who required additional support for food, warmth and household living costs. Funds had been utilised in many ways including providing direct support from request from residents but also through holiday food vouchers for families who were eligible to receive free school meals. The fund was utilised by the end of March and the Council has now further funding from the extended Household Support Grant which was announced in the Chancellor’s Spring Statement. Section 5 of the report detailed how this funding would be spent.

·         The Local Government Association and Department of Work and Pensions were organising sessions in the next few months to ensure good practice was shared with current funding and to look at future plans to help residents to help influence future thinking by the Treasury. The Council would be attending those sessions.

·         The Government had borrowed £350 billion to support the Country through covid and had now also provided this additional funding for residents. There was an increase in the national living wage, taper relief on Universal Credit, subsidising the Council Tax rebate and £1.2 million for the Council to operate a discretionary scheme to cover Bands E to H for residents on eligible terms and for people on benefits an extra £25. Some residents may still be struggling but it was important that the £7.2 million of Government funding was being well deployed and the Helping Hands Scheme was doing some fantastic work in helping vulnerable people.

·         Cabinet Members welcomed the fact that the Council had distributed the funding very quickly by targeting the most in need.

·         In terms of hard to reach groups, the majority of the funding went to residents through food vouchers for children who were eligible for free school meals and there was also some additional funding which was given through the voluntary and community sector to help hard to reach families and through children and adult services. The School could also allocate vouchers to those children who were in financial hardship.

·         A press release would be issued to make residents aware of the extra funding.

Cabinet Members paid tribute to the work of the Helping Hands Team.

RESOLVED that the additional Household Support Fund be used to support Buckinghamshire residents as set out in the report.