£3.5m secured to support struggling Nottingham households

Nottingham City Council has announced £3.5m will be given to residents struggling to cope as the cost of living crisis continues. 

The most vulnerable households will be able to access support, with pensioners and families  set to benefit from funding. 

The money comes as part of the Government’s Household Support Fund, a grant set up to help households meet daily needs through small payments. 

A third of the funding will be ring-fenced to support families with children, while another third will be dedicated to pensioners to ensure those who need it most will receive aid. 

‘This funding will enable us to support Nottingham people who are struggling with the cost of living. With rising energy bills and increased prices at supermarkets, more and more people are struggling to pay bills and put food on the table,’ said Cllr Sam Webster, Portfolio Holder for Finance and Resources. ‘Securing this funding for city residents is another commitment to support Nottingham people through difficult times.

‘I welcome the Household Support Fund but I know it provides only temporary and partial relief to people. The bigger issue is financial inequality in the UK. Cities like Nottingham need more sustainable investment to provide opportunities for people to lift themselves out of poverty and keep pace with the rising cost of living. We will continue to press the government strongly for more sustainable solutions to be found to tackle inequality whilst also demanding that Nottingham people get the financial assistance they desperately need during this crisis in the cost of living.’

Nottingham City Council will also team with community partners and welfare advice agencies, to decide where to spend the rest of the fund within the scope set out by the Government.

Previous funding rounds saw a package of vouchers for Nottingham residents who receive Council Tax Support be released. 

More than 7,500 people benefited from £100 supermarket e-vouchers and 4,000 people claimed energy bills worth £49.

School pupils were also eligible for free school meals throughout the school holidays in December.

Photo by Nicola Nuttall