Buckinghamshire's new Household Support Fund confirmed
As part of the government's recently announced Household Support Fund, Buckinghamshire Council have been awarded just under £2.4m to support those most in need with food and warmth, up to the end of March 2022. Funds have been allocated to councils, who know their local areas best and can directly help those who need it most.
Details of the Buckinghamshire Household support scheme:
Those eligible for support under the scheme will include:
- children and young people known to the council and/or in receipt of free school meals/pupil premium/early years support
- children and young adults highlighted by educational establishments as requiring additional support
- vulnerable adults requiring additional support
- families or individuals in receipt of council tax support/housing benefit
- individuals or families affected by domestic violence
- individuals or families resettled following custodial sentence
- asylum seeking and refugee families
- people in debt or experiencing financial hardship, including elderly residents
The fund requires 50% to be spent on families with children and up to 50% on those households experiencing or at risk of poverty.
The scheme will primarily provide food and warmth support but in cases of genuine emergency, the grant can also be used to support housing costs, where existing housing support schemes do not meet this exception need.
There will be a variety of methods that will be used to deliver the support and we will be working closely with partners across the voluntary and community sector who will be assisting us with this.
How to access the support
Local support available
Residents can access the Bucks Online Directory to find out what local organisations are in their area who can provide them with food support.
Holiday food support
Buckinghamshire Council will be distributing digital food vouchers to those eligible for free school, two-year-old funding or early years pupil premium support, during Christmas, February half term and the Easter holidays. These vouchers will be distributed via schools and early years settings ahead of the holiday period.
To check if you are eligible for free school meals visit GOV.UK
We will be working with schools to ensure that families needing additional help receive the support they need during these challenging times.
Additional help and support
Our Helping Hand service is available to help individuals or families in need, those on low incomes and those experiencing a financial crisis or emergency in Buckinghamshire. They can offer help with essentials like the access to food, household utilities, water and energy bills. They can also help if you are worried about finances and with emotional support and wellbeing.
If you need help, regardless of whether you qualify for benefits, please get in touch:
