Thousands of people in Reading have received or are set to receive payments to help them with the cost of living.

With families and individuals in Reading understandably worried about the rising cost of heating homes and food shopping bills, Reading Borough Council has designed a targeted local scheme which gets support to residents who need it the most.

The council has been able to combine food and energy support funds into one cost of living payment which covers a funding period from October 1 to March 31, 2023.

It was able to do this thanks to a change in Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) grant conditions, which the council claims has allowed it to spread support to a wide range of residents including young people, families and the elderly.

Approximately 8,000 households are set to benefit from the support funding before Christmas. They are divided into:

  • Approximately 3,800 families with school-aged children eligible for pupil premium free school meals, and  vulnerable children up to nursery age. They will receive vouchers worth £125 per household. Care leavers will also receive a £125 voucher
  • Around 3,700 older people receiving state pension and also on the Council Tax Reduction Scheme, or in receipt of housing benefit, will receive a £100 voucher per household
  • Over 500 older people receiving state pension who are in receipt of pension credit or savings credit, but are not on the Council Tax Reduction Scheme, will receive a £100 voucher per household

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Beneficiaries will be contacted directly to dispatch the vouchers, so there is no need to contact the council.

Additionally, around 350 Reading households receiving Housing Benefit and on the Council Tax Reduction Scheme, but receive no other DWP benefit, will receive a £650 payment per household.

The council has said this will these residents equal to those who are receiving £650 directly from the DWP. This support will follow in the new year.

Funding for the scheme is through the national Household Support Fund, with the council receiving £1,130,648.94 of that funding.

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The decision to use the fund in this way was made by Jason Brock, the council leader (Labour, Southcote) in October.

Cllr Brock said: “Given the high level of need across the borough – which is increasing all the time as prices continue to rise – the council has designed a support package which makes the most of the funding available, whether that is families struggling to put food on the table, or older people who are avoiding switching on their heating because of the extortionate costs.

“These are residents who would ordinarily struggle anyway, without prices rising.

“Notwithstanding the steep rises in inflation and the fact wages are failing to keep up, the council’s allocation from Government for Reading remains the same as the previous year.

“The removal of Government restrictions on how the money can be spent has given the council more flexibility in designing a local scheme that provides the biggest possible benefit to residents who may be struggling, which we believe this local targeted scheme achieves.

“It is important to say the same groups of people are being supported as in previous funding rounds, but we know that more people are becoming eligible for this support as the cost of living crisis deepens.”