Question:
It is widely acknowledged that the Household Support Fund (HSF) has been a vital lifeline for many of our vulnerable residents during the ongoing cost of living crisis. The HSF was set to end on the 31st March. Following robust lobbying from charities and Councils, the Chancellor announced in the March 6th Spring Budget that the HSF will now continue to September. However, concerns have been raised that extending the HSF for only 6 months, rather than a full year, has continued the uncertainty about the future of this fund, as there was in the months leading up to the Budget. What is WBC doing to mitigate the impacts that the extension of the still needed HSF by only 6 months, rather than a full 12 months, is likely to have on our Borough’s residents?
Minutes:
It is widely acknowledged that the Household Support Fund (HSF) has been a vital lifeline for many of our vulnerable residents during the ongoing cost of living crisis. The HSF was set to end on the 31st March. Following robust lobbying from charities and councils, the Chancellor announced in the March 6th Spring Budget that the HSF will now continue to September. However, concerns have been raised that extending the HSF for only six months, rather than a full year, has continued the uncertainty about the future of this fund, as there was in the months leading up to the Budget. What is WBC doing to mitigate the impacts that the extension of the still needed HSF by only six months, rather than a full twelve months, is likely to have on our Borough’s residents?
Answer
I am pleased that following the lobbying in Wokingham and nationally, the government has finally decided to extend the Household Support Fund. This gives us the money to continue to provide children on free school meals with food vouchers over the school holidays until the end of this year’s six week summer holiday. We are urgently exploring the best way of using the remaining money to support residents living in hardship.
I share your concerns that the extension is only for six months. This leaves our most vulnerable residents facing a financial cliff edge, with no certainty about how the government plans to replace this funding. Unless the Household Support Fund is replaced, the government will be directly removing money from the pockets of those who need it most. To mitigate the impact of short-term government thinking, we will continue to invest in longer term solutions to fight poverty in Wokingham.
Our Tackling Poverty action plan:
· Is supporting the launch of the Roots Community Store, including helping it to expand and become self-sustaining.
· Is continuing to support the two School Days projects to directly help families living on the lowest incomes afford the cost of the school day.
· Is rolling out help to prevent residents from getting into unmanageable debt, through debt surgeries and our partnership with the Boom community bank.
And of course, the Hardship Alliance - made up of VCS partners and Council officers - continues to be key to understanding who is in the greatest need and targeting resources to meet them.
Supplementary Question:
Thank you, Rachel, for sharing my concerns that the extension of the HSF is just for six months, and also for sharing with us some of the many activities that our Council is engaging in to support our most vulnerable residents during these difficult times. Notwithstanding, will you be recommending to other Executive Members that WBC lobbies our local MPs and the relevant government minister to ensure that the HSF will continue for a full twelve months?
Supplementary Answer:
Yes, that is a very definite yes from me. I am already talking to the officers about what we can do. The cost of living crisis is not over by any stretch of the imagination. It is not going to be over in six months’ time. In fact, there were some figures that were published which showed that the UK was facing the greatest rise in those living in absolute poverty in 30 years. If this money is not extended, as we go into the winter, we are going to see Wokingham residents who are not going to be able to afford enough food and enough heating. It is absolutely critical that this money continues, so we will be lobbying on this for the money to continue, or even better, for the Household Support Fund, which is kind of like a temporary patchwork of funding, to be replaced by something which is a longer term, coherent way of supporting those who live on the lowest levels of income.