- The Conservative Government has consistently supported families in the face of global high inflation through our £94 billion Cost of Living support package including 26 million payments through our Household Support Fund.
- That is why this Conservative Government has launched Household Support Fund Awareness Week this week to raise awareness of support provided to local authorities to help low-income households with the cost of living.
Torbay MP Kevin Foster has welcomed the launch of the Conservative Government’s Household Support Fund Awareness Week, which is encouraging vulnerable families across Torbay to check with Torbay Council what support is available to local people via this funding.
Since the Household Support Fund (HSF) launched in October 2021, more than £2 billion has been invested to ease the cost-of-living pressures, including £2,470,714 for Torbay Council as part of the fourth round of funding between April 2023 and March 2024. This brings the total funding available to residents through the fund in Torbay to £6,176,784.
Councils in England can use the Conservative Government’s Household Support Fund to help those most in need by drawing from local knowledge and directly reaching people in the community. Support is available to help with covering the costs of essentials like groceries, toiletries, warm clothes, and energy bills.
The 4th round money is being spent by Torbay Council in several ways to ensure as many people as possible benefit:
- Food vouchers issued through the new Family Hubs (£60,000)
- Households with a low disposable income, who are not receiving welfare benefits (includes pension age, unpaid carers, and disabled people – £1.1m)
- Households who are receiving welfare benefits (includes pension age, unpaid carers and disabled people – £450,000)
- Essentials linked to energy and water such as warm clothing and ovens (for those receiving a disability benefit or children under five – £50,000)
- Care experienced young people (£46,200)
- Provision of additional debt and benefit advice (£127,514)
- Food banks (£150,000)
- Social supermarkets (£250,000)
- Baby banks and Homestore (£40,000)
These figures come as part of the Conservative Government’s Household Support Fund Awareness Week, which is encouraging vulnerable people across England to contact their councils to find out what support is available in their area. More details about the support available via the HSF in Torbay can be found on Torbay Council’s website at: https://www.torbay.gov.uk/benefits/cost-of-living/
The Conservative Government is also continuing to support vulnerable households with cost-of-living pressures, with the next cost of living payment, worth £300 for 16,100 vulnerable and low-income households in Torbay, being made between 31 October and 19 November 2023.
Commenting, Kevin Foster said: “I welcome the support the Conservative Government is providing, including the money made available through the Household Support Fund which has already made a massive difference to people locally. I encourage anyone who is worried about their own finances to check out what support they may be eligible to receive.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- The Conservative Government has launched Household Support Fund Awareness Week, encouraging low income households to check what cost of living support is available in their area. The Conservative Government has launched Household Support Fund Awareness Week to encourage people in need to check what support is available in their area through the £2 billion Household Support Fund (DWP, Press Release, 16 October 2023, link).
- The Conservative Government has extended the Household Support Fund to over £2 billion, ensuring local authorities can support the most vulnerable in their communities. The Conservative Government has provided the Household Support Fund with an additional £842 million to establish schemes that support vulnerable families in their areas. This brings the Fund to over £2 billion in value since its creation (DWP, Press Release, 21 February 2023, link).
- The Conservative Government is delivering a £94 billion cost of living support package for households across the country. The Conservative Government has a £94 billion package of cost of living support in place, worth £3,300 on average per household (HM Treasury, News Story, 15 March 2023, link).
- The Conservative Government is supporting low-income households with cost of living payments, with some households receiving up to £1,350 of support. Building on the £1,200 of support received in 2022, millions of households will get up to £1,350 of support in 2023-24: £900 for households on means-tested benefits; £300 for pensioner households and £150 for disability benefit claimants (DWP, Press Release, 25 April 2023, link).
Annex A:
Torbay Council
£2,470,714
£6,176,784
