Struggling families get cash boost
PARENTS WILL BE GIVEN £50 PER CHILD DURING SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
THOUSANDS of families struggling with their food and fuel bills over the winter months are to get financial help.
Kirklees Council is spending more than £1.2m to help those who qualify. They will receive payments to support them through the school holiday periods in December and February.
The funding, which is from a central government grant, will go to all Kirklees families who are eligible for meanstested free school meals.
They will receive £50 per eligible child for the December school break and a further £25 for February half-term – making sure the financially vulnerable do not get left behind.
The council has been allocated money through the government’s Household Support Fund, which aims to help people in need over the next few months.
Kirklees Cabinet members have agreed that £1.2m will be spent on the vouchers for food and fuel costs, with the remaining £2m going into the council’s Local Welfare Provision - a wider scheme for vulnerable people who are in short-term crisis with food, benefits, fuel costs and Covid-19 assistance.
Council leader Clr Shabir Pandor said: “Over 16,000 children in Kirklees receive means-tested free school meals, so the impact on those families will be huge. This decision highlights that supporting children and tackling inequality are top priorities for this council.
“Free school meal vouchers have been a vital lifeline during the pandemic and have addressed holiday hunger across our communities.
“By topping them up with a contribution towards fuel bills, we are also helping people to stay warm, safe and healthy during the winter months.”
Clr Carole Pattison, Cabinet member for Learning, Aspiration and Communities, added: “It’s essential that children go back to school after the holidays feeling happy and ready to learn. This improves their long-term outcomes and means young people are equipped to fulfil their potential.
For more information about free school meals, Local Welfare Provision and financial support, visit www.kirklees.gov.uk/coronavirus