Support vouchers sent to people in need in Reading

The Household Support Fund was established by the government to provide assistance for those struggling with the cost of living crisis brought about by inflation.

Funding from the Department of Work and Pensions has been dispatched in rounds in order to keep the support sustained.

Now the latest round of funding has been defined and how it will be  implemented has been agreed by Reading Borough Council.

The council has been given £2,261,298 for 2023/24 through the Household Support Fund round 4 to dispatch to needy families and individuals.

The support vouchers are meant to support households with the cost of energy, water, food and housing.

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Households will receive two payments of £125, that will go to households in receipt of the pupil premium and free school meals for their children, and care leavers for those leaving foster or child care institutions.

The first payment has been dispatched this month, with a second payment being made in December.

The vouchers can be cashed in at a post office.

Those who have not received a voucher yet have been asked to wait until Monday, July 31 before contacting the council.

Furthermore, people who above the state pension age, who receive Housing Benefit but do not receive the direct government support provided to recipients of other Department of Work and Pension benefits will receive a £450 direct payment to their bank account in October.

How the Household Support Fund round 4 will be implemented was discussed by Reading Borough Council’s policy committee.

Councillor Rob White said the payment would be welcomed by those struggling, but accused the government of damaging public funding cuts.

Cllr White (Green, Park) said: “It’s important to acknowledge that this is just a small sticking plaster over what are massive cuts that the Conservative government has inflicted on our residents year after year after year.

“But it’s definitely going to be appreciated by the residents who do receive the support.”

He then questioned why £109,630  was being set aside for promotion and contingency.

Reading Borough Council Policy Committee meeting on Monday, July 10, 2023. Credit: Reading Borough Council

Liz Terry, lead councillor for corporate services and resources replied that some of the fund was being held back if promotion is needed.

Cllr Terry (Labour, Coley) said: “If there’s high take up then we might need some more money, so it’s there as a contingency.

“If the take up is good and we just need to use it to meet demand, we won’t need any for promotion because we know people know about it and are making applications.”

The support is being administered in two ways.

The people who have been mentioned above will receive vouchers automatically.

Meanwhile, other families and individuals who may be eligible for the vouchers can apply.

This application process is not online yet, but will be found on the council’s household support fund website once it is implemented.

The council’s policy for the implementation of the Household Support Fund round 4 was agreed unanimously on Monday, July 10.