Call for Action on Local Welfare Assistance
Leader, Councillor Tracey Dixon and Councillors Joanne Bell and Ruth Berkley have all signed a letter from the Children's Society calling on the government to fund and fix local welfare assistance for the long term. The move is in line with the Council's ambition to target support to make things fairer.
In the letter, the charity calls on the Chancellor to invest in and strengthen the Household Support Fund to support people in financial crisis.
The letter also calls for the government to protect families from financial insecurity through the provision of an adequately funded social security system and good wages that allow them to afford the essentials.
The Council is already doing much to support residents through these challenging times. It has targeted the Household Support Fund not only to key groups such as those on low-incomes, but also to those in work but just above the benefits line who are struggling and have benefitted less from national cost of living support schemes. Food vouchers for children eligible for free school meals have also been provided while £118,000 will be given to the Borough's five major food banks in 2023 - 2024.
Councillor Ruth Berkley, Lead Member for the Voluntary Sector, Partnerships and Equalities, said: "Every day our residents are having to face the harsh reality of the cost-of-living crisis.
"It is vital that people can receive emergency support in a dignified way when they have nowhere else to turn. We are doing what we can to support our residents but need more funding from government to continue to help those most in need."
Councillor Joanne Bell, Lead Member for Governance, Finance and Corporate Services, added: "Through our Medium Term Financial Plan we are targeting investment to help lift people out of poverty. This includes money to support residents through the cost-of-living crisis such as extending Council Tax Relief, providing £100 rebates, boosting our crisis funds available for residents, and improving accessibility to energy support schemes.
"However, we need Government to be doing much more. It has been proven that investment in support measures could actually be better for the country's finances. In a study cited by the National Audit Office, an investment of £0.5million into Local Welfare Assistance generated £9.7million in savings to other public services. This demonstrates that an adequately funded system of emergency support would not only relieve the damaging effects of debt at individual level, it would also be better for the public purse."