Household support package

Published: 20 May 2024

As living costs continue to soar, West Berkshire Council (WBC) is offering assistance to the local community through the Household Support Fund until autumn 2024.

The funding is intended to help households with essential housing costs they would otherwise struggle to meet.

Collaborating with local voluntary sector partners, including Greenham Trust, WBC has been allocated nearly £695,000 from national government and it has allocated funds to address various needs. Key measures include:

· £253,000 main fund: Application process based on the following criteria: only one grant per household per funding period, claim per family - £300, claim per individual - £150.

· £15,000 for food and energy support: channelled through local charities to alleviate food and energy expenses.

· £20,000 for appliances and furniture: providing essential items for residents in need. Newbury Community Resource Centre will support this scheme.

· £10,000 emergency accommodation support: ensuring access is available to hot meals for those in emergency accommodation.

· £30,000 for discretionary assistance: supporting those moving into accommodation without essentials such as carpets and curtains.

· £252,000 for free school meals: vouchers for 4,200 young children for four weeks during the summer holidays.

· £20,000 for struggling pensioners: working with charities, assistance for pensioners towards hot meals, energy costs, and essential repairs.

· £30,000 for young carers and those leaving care: direct support for the estimated 200 young carers for clothing, food, and energy vouchers.

WBC continues to provide direct support through the Household Support Fund, and additional advice can be found on the Cost of Living page of WBC’s web site.