Further council support for hard up Blackpool families unveiled

Money for schemes will come from a second round of funding from the DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) with £1.745m awarded to Blackpool Council from the government’s Household Support Fund.

A council report outlining how the money will be spent, says the schedule has been decided on to “ensure that the fund will support the most vulnerable residents.”

Town hall chiefs have set out how they will use the cash, with the biggest chunk of £790,000 going towards extra help for families eligible for free school meals.

Eligible families will receive vouchers distributed by schools to the value of £15 per week for each entitled child in October, December and January, with a further £5 per week winter fuel supplement being paid to eligible families for the December and January holidays.

A further £500,000 will be handed out in grants to voluntary and community groups.

The report says: “A broad range of projects would be funded with the aim to achieve an innovative and flexible support across the town.

“This would include warm banks and community activity hubs, help with the increased cost of running a community asset and energy efficiency initiatives.”

Warm banks are safe places where the heating is put on so people can gather somewhere warm if they cannot afford to heat their home.

The Household Support Fund in Blackpool will also include a £250,000 hardship fund to help with food and energy bills. Any financial help towards energy bills would be paid directly to the supplier.

A total of £50,000 will be set aside for residents needing extra help with social and health care, and £45,000 towards food vouchers for care leavers mainly to help with rising food costs.

There will be £110,000 designated to cover contingencies and to pay for the administration costs.

The Household Support Fund was originally launched by the DWP in October 2021. Blackpool handed out support earlier this year from its first round of funding, with that scheme closing in September.