Families eligible for free school meals are among those who will be prioritised as £7million of funding is rolled out to support vulnerable Nottingham residents. An extension of the Household Support Fund (HSF) was recently announced by the Government, with Nottinghamshire having been allocated around £20million in total.
The scheme involves the Government providing money to local authorities, which councils then use to help vulnerable residents with costs such as energy bills and food. Nottingham City Council was allocated £7,113,867.65 during the most recent extension and the authority has now set out the groups who will be prioritised.
In a delegated decision report published on Monday (March 27), the council sets out the "existing methods of distribution" for HSF money which it intends to continue with. The council said this will include giving supermarket vouchers to families eligible for free school meals during the school holidays.
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Food banks will receive direct funding for food and essential supplies to increase stock levels, while energy support vouchers and supermarket vouchers will be distributed to the most vulnerable. Care leavers will also receive support, as well as those living in semi-independent accommodation.
The fund was first launched in October 2021 and it gives money out over a specific period of time, with the current third phase of the HSF due to expire in March. In its report ahead of the fourth phase, Nottingham City Council said the current scheme has supported 20,445 households with children, 632 pensioners and 786 households with a disabled person.
Those figures reflect the HSF support provided as of December 31. To distribute the money, the council works with several third party organisations including Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing, Nottingham City Homes and Age UK. The council said in its report: "Nottingham City Council has collaborated with a wide range of community based third party organisations to assist in the distribution of the grant to vulnerable residents.
"As each of the organisations provides support to any resident who is in a vulnerable position, there are no barriers for any residents in seeking and receiving support regardless of any protected characteristics... The council is keen to expand the range of partner organisations where this would increase the reach of the support network across the city and has approached several other organisations to seek their involvement."
In the latest HSF funding announcement, Nottinghamshire County Council was allocated £11,292,900.05. Details will be announced in due course by both the city and county council on how people can apply for the funding.
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