READING Borough is to receive more than £1 million from the government to help households struggling financially.
And plans are being made to support up to 5,200 children, families and individuals from the fund.
During this half-term break, Reading Borough Council is providing food vouchers for families with school age children who have free school meals, or have vulnerable toddlers. The scheme will also run during the Christmas holidays and in February half-term.
Those eligible will be contacted directly by the council, and its Brighter Futures For Children networks.
The council will also help families with heating bills thanks to an energy voucher scheme which is due to be launched next month. An estimated 6,000 homes will be eligible, with £49 grants given out. Those on the council tax reduction scheme – just under 2,000 homes – will receive two vouchers.
Funding comes from the Household Support Fund launched by the government.
The Government says that councils are best placed to distribute the funding because they know the households in their communities that need the most help, and give them small grants to meet daily needs such as food, clothing and utilities.
David Rutley, Minister for Welfare Delivery, said: “This funding is there to support those most in need by providing extra help over winter, and by working through local councils we can make sure the vulnerable people in our communities get this vital support.”
Reading has been awarded £1,130,648.94 for the Government’s Household Support Fund.
Council leader, Cllr Jason Brock, said: “The removal of the £20 uplift in Universal credit at a time of significant increases in living costs and energy costs and an increase in National Insurance contributions, mean families will struggle more than ever to afford the basics, like eating and heating costs, which is of course particularly alarming where young children are involved.
“The Council has designed a local scheme which makes the best use of the funding provided to support the thousands of children who may struggle to access regular meals during the autumn and winter school holiday periods, and vouchers to help with the spiralling cost of heating for people eligible for the Council Tax support scheme.”
And the scheme is welcomed by Brighter Futures for Children.
Di Smith, its board chair, said: “These vouchers mean struggling families in Reading will not only have the certainty of support to feed their children during October half-term but also through the Christmas holidays and February half-term.”
