Most vulnerable get further help with cost of living

LOW-INCOME households in Cornwall will benefit from £4.5 million of extra financial support over the next six months to help them with the cost of living.

Cornwall Council has secured the money through the Department for Work and Pensions’ Household Support Fund (HSF).

The money will mainly be used to provide one-off payments of £80 to pensioners in receipt of Pension Credit and to adults who have been assessed as needing domiciliary care and receive a financial contribution towards the cost of that care from the council.

The same amount per child will be paid to families which are receiving Council Tax Support as of June 3, and to families which have been placed in emergency accommodation by Cornwall Council’s Housing Options service and are living there on that date.

The payments will be made matically by the end of June.

The remaining money will be used by the council and organisations such as Citizens Advice Cornwall, Disability Cornwall, Cornwall Carers Service and Community Energy Plus to help support those most in need.

Councillor Dr Andy Virr, portfolioholder for adults and public health, said: “The cost-of-living crisis continues to have a huge impact on many families across Cornwall so it’s good to see we have again secured this significant funding to help as many as possible. I hope it will go some way to ensure autopensioners and parents, in particular, can pay their bills and put food on the table for their families.

“As before, the money will also allow the council and its partners to continue working hard to identify and help those most in need in Cornwall.”

Cllr Barbara Ellenbroek, portfolioholder for children and families, said: “Previous rounds of HSF funding have provided a much-needed boost to many families on low incomes, so I’m pleased we have secured an equivalent amount for the next six months.

“To ensure the money reaches those most in need, we have changed the eligibility criteria for households with children so it’s now linked to whether they receive Council Tax Support rather than benefits-related free school meals.

“Because entitlement to free school meals has been protected since 2018, parents of children who are entitled to free school meals aren’t always still on a low income.

“By using our Council Tax Support data we can ensure that this round of payments are going to parents who currently have a low income and are struggling with the increased costs of running their home. By better targeting the awards, we are able to help families with children of any age, rather than just school-age children.”

For details of support available from other organisations and schemes see www. cornwall. gov. uk/ people- andcommunities/support-for-residentsstruggling-with-the-cost-of-living/