Swindon Borough Council to help vulnerable residents over the winter
The cash is being allocated through the Household Support Application Fund
Swindon Borough Council is making funding available over the winter for vulnerable residents who need help with 'essential costs'.
The cash is being allocated through the Household Support Application Fund, and comes after the local authority welcomed a further £1.5m from the Government in early October - which will provide vulnerable households with support for food, heating and housing over the colder months.
On November 11, £81,000 was made available for residents in need - and we're told, in many instances, you don't need to directly use the application fund process.
That's because recipients are either automatically identified or will access the support through specific partners.
However, if you've had an unexpected expense which affects your ability to meet the cost of energy, food or other essential bills, or you are struggling to afford to run your home, you may be eligible for assistance through the Application Fund.
If accepted, you'll receive a voucher for the period up to 31 March 2025.
The £1.5m allocated last month will also be used to provide cash to projects which support vulnerable people locally.
This includes £460,000 which will be used to make payments to low-income pensioners just above the Pension Credit threshold but who need additional support.
A further £585,000 will be spent on food vouchers for families in need during school holidays.
Between March and October this year, £1.35m was allocated to Swindon Borough Council - which helped them distribute 28,200 food vouchers, impacting an estimated 9,600 children.
On top of this, 438 awards worth £70,000 were provided to residents.
Council Leader, Councillor Jim Robbins, said: “I’m pleased we are now able to help eligible residents through the Household Support Fund. This vital funding will support the most vulnerable people in our local community.
“Distributed either directly to families or via third parties, as part of this programme we are looking to allocate £460,000 to people who are just above the Pension Credit cut-off to support them through the winter. Vouchers will be issued directly to pensioners who receive Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support, but not in receipt of Pension Credit.
“We’ve been working closely with our MPs and the wider community to make sure we identify the right people to support.”
You're also encouraged to check if you're eligible for Pension Credit - which you can do on the Gov.uk website.