£3 million Support Fund top-up set to help vulnerable with cost of living

A £3m boost for those hardest hit by rising bills and grocery prices was agreed by Brent’s Cabinet on Monday 20 June. 

The expansion of the council’s Resident Support Fund will help more people who are struggling financially with emergency grants to cover the cost of bills and household expenses. 

The fund is designed to keep people out of debt or rent arrears, as well as to give those already in debt a breather rather than taking out further loans. Free, impartial advice on reducing debts is available for those who need it.

Cllr Eleanor Southwood, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Economy and Citizen Experience, said: 

"We need both long and short term thinking to support our residents during this cost of living crisis and beyond. We will continue to build council homes and use our influence to increase the amount of genuinely affordable housing in the borough. 

We're working with health partners to tackle inequalities and with local employers to create more jobs that pay a living wage or higher."

“But we know that many residents are in crisis right now. Thousands of families have contacted us through our local hubs who are at breaking point: managing high living costs, increases to the cost of food and fuel and relying on jobs that are often poorly paid or insecure.

“By further investing in the Resident Support Fund, we’ll be able to help many more local people weather this painful period."

Here’s how the council has been helping squeezed local families since the pandemic hit, in numbers:

• 2,658 people given emergency grants (£1,380 each, on average) to help with household expenses through Brent’s Support Fund, totalling £5.5 million.
• £8,000 in food and fuel vouchers given out by Brent Hubs. 
• 12,000 children on free school meals given vouchers to buy food during each of the school holidays since December 2020.
• £125,000 given to Brent food banks to meet increased demand.
• 400 digital devices given to local pupils to help with their studies.
• 4,443 qualifications achieved with Brent Start, helping upskill local people in English, maths and digital skills since September 2021.
• Last year, 400 families moved into council homes where the rent is affordable and work is underway to meet the council’s target of 5,000 new affordable homes by 2024.

With the approved £3m top-up to the Support Fund, 4,548 more local people will receive help by March 2023.

The Council is exploring other ways of helping people through, including creating an energy advice service to help those in fuel poverty save money and running workshops helping people to manage their finances.

These proposals are in addition to the uplift in Government’s Household Support Fund (amounting to £2.7million for Brent), which has been extended until 31 March 2023.