Struggling North Tyneside families to be given extra £3.2m in household relief fund

North Tyneside has been given an extra £3.2m to help families who continue to struggle financially during the the cost of living crisis.

North Tyneside Council officer Tracy Hunter has informed elected officials the council's welfare team "are still seeing significant demand for crisis support". Between October 1 2022 and January 1 2023, the local authority recorded 608 crisis fund applications.

Crisis applications can include financial help for food, utilities, baby food, baby items, household items, travel costs or clothes.

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During the same period, the council also logged 1,339 applications for local welfare support. These applications are for help with council tax, and paying council home rent.

The new £3.2m 'Household Support Grant' will be active between April 1 to March 2024. Ordinarily, funding from central Government has only been granted on a six-month basis.

Applications can be made on behalf of residents by organisations such as Barbados or Citizens Advice. The cash will also be used to fund "priorities" according to the local authority's welfare team.

The cash comes as previous alternatives are becoming unrealistic for many families. Residents experiencing financial problems had been referred to the North East First Credit Union for one-off loans.

However, according to council documents, "the rise in the cost of living however has meant that clients' financial assessments are not demonstrating this as an affordable option".

Since December 2022, the Household Support Fund also processed 400 applications for financial aid.

Those who do not qualify for practical support from the council can be referred to foodbanks, social supermarkets, HMRC or community support groups.

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