THOUSANDS of families can claim £195 free cash for food – and here’s everything you need to know.
Homes struggling to buy food or pay bills can get support from their local council.
1
Hundreds of hard-up households in Rochdale can claim free cash as part of the council’s new £4.6m package of support aimed at helping the most vulnerable people in the borough.
The cash has been allocated via the government’s Household Support Fund (HSF).
It comes as the cost of living crisis continues to hit the UK, with many struggling to keep up with living costs.
The local council has recognised the financial difficulties many face at the moment, the Manchester Evening News reported.
A council report noted: “The number of people claiming out of work benefits has more than doubled and four times more people are accessing emergency food support.”
“It is important that the council puts in place a comprehensive support package and should in particular support low income families and low income older households, but to include programmes that can reach out and support other people who are struggling.”
Rochdale council is offering programmes of support through the HSF funding.
Over 13,000 children in Rochdale are either eligible for free school meals or identified by children’s services as being in need.
Most read in Money
This includes young people who have been in care.
Experts expect these two groups will grow – so provision should be made for supporting up to 14,000 children.
They also agreed that provision of £15 be set aside per child for each of the 13 holiday weeks that fall within the 2023/24 financial year.
This means a total of £195 could be available to provide food for school children.
The council says evidence shows vouchers are an effective means of helping low income households in a targeted way.
Vouchers are provided through an existing contract with Crown Commercial Services.
There is also a targeted scheme to support older people claiming council tax support in Rochdale, paid for by the previous government funding.
The council wrote to these households explaining they were being provided with this funding to help with energy costs.
It has already made payments to around 95 per cent of pensioners, direct to their banks.
Bosses strongly believe this support should continue.
They have agreed that around 6,666 households should each receive two payments of £60 over the 2023/24 financial year.
It’s not the only way local councils are supporting those in need.
There’s plenty of help you can get to to give your bank balance a boost.
Energy bills are rising as the £66/£67 a month rebate has ended, plus council tax and water bills are on the up from this month.
Households across the country can claim supermarket vouchers, free cash and even gadgets like air fryers or fridges to help in the cost of living crisis.
That’s all thanks to the Household Support Fund – a multi-million pound pot of cash that local councils have been given to dish out to those struggling the most.
The scheme has been extended after initially being set to end on March 31.
Families and individuals will now be able to get the help until March 2024.
