The Council has been granted an additional £133,920 from the Government to help support people struggling to cope financially as a result of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The funding is an extension of the Winter Grants Programme for which we have already been given a total of £767,000 (£569,000 in November 2020 + £198,000 in March 2021), and has been renamed the Covid Local Support Grant.
This new additional money comes with the same grant conditions as the original funding and has a focus on the provision of food, energy, water and/or associated financial support. 80 per cent of the spend has to be allocated to families with children and a proportion of funding (up to 20 per cent) is also available for vulnerable households without children (including individuals), to ensure that no vulnerable household is excluded.
The majority of the new funding will be allocated through schools to support families who qualify for Free School Meals during the May half-term holiday, with the remainder available for others by contacting the Council’s One Stop Shops or via Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire.
Deputy Leader of South Gloucestershire Council Cllr Ben Stokes said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on many families who can least afford it, which is why we have run a series of grant programmes to help them manage during these difficult times.
“We want to make sure that we can continue to support residents who will still need help in the coming months. Even as we move through the steps towards reduced restrictions, and hopefully a brighter future, we know that for many people the financial burden caused by the virus will remain, so this additional Government funding is very welcome.”
Cabinet Member for Public Health and Equality of Opportunity Cllr Franklin Owusu-Antwi said: “We are delighted to receive this additional Government funding to support people in the area who are struggling as a result of the pandemic. Families and individuals in the greatest need are able to benefit from this funding if they are a South Gloucestershire resident, are on a low income and in an emergency or crisis due to Covid-19.
“We know that without help during the school holidays, some young people aren’t able to get enough healthy food to eat so I’m particularly pleased that the large part of this funding will support those families who rely on Free School Meals.”
Contact our One Stop Shop team by telephone on 0800 953 7778 or online at: Contact us in person | South Gloucestershire Council (southglos.gov.uk) or by emailing ossappointments@southglos.gov.uk
Contact Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire, by calling 01454 334961. For more information please visit: Welcome to Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire (southgloscab.org.uk)
For help and support for all South Gloucestershire residents, including people who are vulnerable, visit: www.southglos.gov.uk/coronavirus
