New Phase of Household Support Funding to be rolled out

A new scheme is to be rolled out in North Yorkshire to help those struggling with the increased cost of living.

The second phase of the Household Support Fund scheme is being launched in North Yorkshire over the coming weeks, providing a one-off payment in supermarket e-vouchers to help those most in need to pay for food and other essentials.

The fund was initially designed to help people meet essential living costs over Christmas and Winter. It initially saw just over 9,300 households with children in the county receive an e-voucher payment.

The latest round of funding will reach a broader range of people in the county - in line with new national guidelines - and is expected to reach about 25,000 households, including pensioners and working age people without children.

Executive member for stronger communities, Cllr David Chance, said: “We have worked hard to come up with a scheme which helps people most in need in North Yorkshire, in line with the national criteria set out for Household Support Funding.

“We are also using Household Support Funding to bolster other schemes in the county offering emergency payments or help and advice on meeting household energy costs.”

Payments for Household Support Fund e-voucher payments will be made to;

• Families getting help to pay their council tax bill through the means-tested Council Tax Reduction Scheme who have a child under the age of 19 living at home. They will receive a £150 e-voucher.

• People of state pension age receiving the maximum discount to help pay their council tax bill through the means-tested Council Tax Reduction Scheme. They will receive a £150 e-voucher.

• Working age households without children who are receiving the maximum discount to help pay their council tax bill through the means-tested Council Tax Reductions Scheme. They will receive a £75 e-voucher payment.

People who are eligible for the payments will receive a letter by July 13, which will include information about how to claim and use the e-voucher.

The county council has devised an online eligibility checker for anyone unsure if they qualify for the e-voucher . It can be found on the Household Support Fund information page at; www.northyorks.gov.uk/HouseholdSupportFund

The remainder of the money from central Government has been distributed among other funding pots in the county, which can be accessed by residents who are struggling to afford basic necessities, even if they don’t meet the criteria for the Household Support Funding e-voucher.

This includes the North Yorkshire Local Assistance Fund (NYLAF) which provides emergency financial support to those unable to meet essential living costs such as energy bills or food. NYLAF can also make awards in kind, including supplying basic necessities or household goods such as a fridge. Further details can be found online; www.northyorks.gov.uk/local-assistance-fund

Warm and Well in North Yorkshire has also received extra funding. This is a scheme which can provide people with hardship funding, or help with minor repairs to make homes warmer. For more details of the scheme visit; www.warmandwell.org.uk or contact Warm and Well on 01609 767555, or email; wnw@northyorkslca.org.uk

Further Household Support Funding has been distributed to foodbanks and other projects providing emergency food donations in the county.