East Sussex Households To Receive Further Financial Support

Households facing “financial challenges” are set to receive further support this summer after the extension of a government support fund. 

On Thursday (April 25), Cllr Carl Maynard, East Sussex County Council’s lead member for adult social care and health, agreed a plan on how the authority will use its share of the government’s recently extended Household Support Fund.

East Sussex County Council has been allocated just under £3.9 million from the fund to cover the next six months — April to September. As with previous years, the county council will distribute the money among district and borough councils, food banks and other voluntary sector groups and directly to households eligible for Free School Meals. 

The direct support will come in the form of food vouchers. This year, households eligible for Free School Meals will get food vouchers worth £15 per child during the May half term and £60 per child during the Summer holidays. 

Part of the funding is going to voluntary groups will be directed to help pensioners, and disabled people at risk of food and fuel poverty. Part will also go to the council’s Children’s Services teams which provide support to vulnerable families and children.

In a report to Cllr Maynard, a council spokesperson said:

“The systems already set up through previous rounds of the fund to distribute the funding are working well and it is proposed to continue to use these systems. 

“Over the recent years the cost-of-living pressures have grown and are now affecting people and families previously unaffected, this has meant that many fund partners are seeing an increase in the [number of] people requesting or requiring support.”

They added:

“The announcement of an extension to the fund provides an opportunity to support households with children, households with pensioners, households with a disabled person and other vulnerable households within East Sussex who are experiencing financial challenges and will be welcomed by partners.”