Household support fund

Contents

1. Overview
2. Themes of the fund
3. Low-income pensioners fund

Overview

The Government has extended the Household Support Fund scheme until 31 March 2025. South Tyneside has received an allocation of £1.485m.

We have worked closely with partners to develop the new scheme, the focus of the funding is to help support residents across the borough to be financially secure and healthy and well, with support targeted to make things fairer.

Themes

The themes for our Household Support Fund plans are:

Child Poverty

• Food vouchers for families on Free School meals during school holidays (these will be given by schools)
• Funding for schools to help them support families just above the free school meals threshold (these will be given by schools)

Housing

• A housing relief fund for South Tyneside Council housing tenants. For more information, see South Tyneside Council Housing Services: Housing Solutions Service.
• The Council is also working with the Borough's food banks and network of Welcoming Places to distribute 1,000 'warm packs' including a blanket, hot water bottle and flask to those who could benefit from them.

Food

• Continued funding for food banks, community food shops and the community food bus
• Funding for voluntary sector organisations to help residents as part of the partnerships support
• Welcoming Places funding to help support people over the Winter

Support organisations to help residents access help

• Payments to support pensioners on a low-income, focussed on residents just above the threshold for Pension Credit. These will be given out by support agencies, including the Welfare Support Team, Citizens Advice and Age Concern South Tyneside.
• Support for Citizens Advice and the help they provide residents
• Funding for social navigators that provide intensive support on financial wellbeing
• Dedicated support for care leavers
• Administration costs to help support key Council teams that are helping residents

Low-income pensioners fund

A one-off £200 payment will be given to support pensioners on a low-income, who are just above the threshold for Pension Credit. These will be given out by support agencies.

If you think you're eligible for a payment, get in touch with:

• Welfare Support Team,
• Citizens Advice, or
• Age Concern South Tyneside

For more information, see Council Announces Financial Support for Pensioners.