Household Support Fund to be extended: CCN responds

Today the government has announced that its Household Support Fund has been extended for another twelve months to support people with cost of living pressures.

The fund totals £842m, with the money being distributed to county councils and unitary councils in England.

Overall, the County Councils Network’s member councils receive £325m from the fund, 38% of all funding.

Last year, CCN produced a County Spotlight publication which highlighted how its members had used the fund locally. Read it here.

Below, the CCN responds to today’s extension.

Cllr Carl Les, Finance Spokesperson for the County Councils Network, said:

“County councillors are at the heart of their communities and know how much the cost-of-living crisis is impacting the lives of millions of people across this country. They can see the strain being placed on families and individuals through the number of people approaching their local authorities for assistance, anxious about their finances and in need of support.

“That’s why the County Councils Network has consistently called for the Household Support Fund to be extended and we are pleased that today’s extension of the scheme will see these resources allocated to county and unitary authorities, with those councils working with district and third sector partners to deliver the funds in the most effective way locally. Our research has shown how our councils are using these funds to support the most vulnerable in a variety of ways, from providing support to charity groups seeing high demand, food and fuel vouchers for households, and freezing transport fares for those in higher and adult education.

“It is important that moving forward the Household Support Fund continues for as long as the cost-of-living crisis does, with maximum flexibility given to councils in how they use the funds locally to benefit their communities.”