East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Cabinet has agreed today (Tuesday, 21 November) how to allocate the remaining £1,043,474.63 balance from the funding the council received from central government for local distribution of the Household Support Fund.
The council was initially awarded £4.1m in the latest round of the Household Support Fund to support local residents struggling during the current cost of living crisis. The money has to be allocated before 31 March, 2024.
Funding can be towards food, fuel, and other essentials linked to food and fuel, and provision of debt advice. Spending can be by targeted support, but some funding must be allocated to an application process.
The provision of free school meal vouchers in the holidays has already been committed and will cover the holidays up to and including Easter 2024.
Members of the Cabinet today agreed a package of funding for:
• Healthy Homes: £100,000 for 20 vulnerable households to receive new central heating systems
• Food Banks : £50,000 in extra payments for Food Banks across the area
• Do it for East Yorkshire Fund : £150,000 to top up the Fund to provide grants for community groups to provide welcoming spaces amongst other community activity that falls in line with the DiFEY criteria
• Low Income Working Households : £91,000: applications for eligible households will reopen from December – February
• Unpaid Carers on Low Income : £17,500: applications for those eligible will be open from December – February
• Emergency Assistance Scheme : £115,000 : support from the council’s Revenues and Benefits team to help eligible families
• Council Tax Support claimants living in properties with an EPC rating of E,F, or G and not eligible for cost of living payments : £451,750: one-off payment of £250 for heating costs to around 1800 families
• New Targeted Group : £68,400 : for around 340 young people aged 18-24 : one off payment of £200 towards fuel costs.
Councillor Anne Handley, leader of the council, said: “Since June, we have already used the money from the Household Support Fund to provide free school meals, and support to a very wide range of people and organisations, including people on low incomes, care leavers, unpaid carers, and food banks across the East Riding.
“I am delighted that we have today agreed the allocation of the remainder of the funds allocated to us. The Household Support Fund has already proved a lifeline for many people, and these remaining funds will be a real help to many more residents and organisations over the coming months.
To apply for the funding visit: www.eryc.link/fundPayments will automatically be paid to those currently receiving housing benefit, who are not eligible for the £900 cost of living payment.
Visit the council’s Help For Households webpage at: eryc.link/helpforhouseholds to find all the cost-of-living support and advice available. People can use the free benefits calculator there to check they are receiving all they are entitled to.
Those who don’t have access to the internet and wish to make a claim can call the council on (01482) 393939.
For emergency help visit: www.eastriding.gov.uk/living/emergency-assistance
Households may also contact their nearest food bank when they require emergency support. Details can be found at: www.erfpa.org.uk/find-a-foodbank
