Funding of £2.613m awarded to help families in Central Bedfordshire
Funding of £2.613 million has been awarded to help families in need across Cental Bedfordshire.
The money has come from the Household Support Fund to provide essentials such as food, energy and other critical living needs up to March 2026.
The award marks the seventh round of the HSF, which is funded by the Department for Work and Pensions.
Some of the funding has already been allocated to support families during the summer holidays. Families with children who are eligible for free school meals have received supermarket vouchers worth £17.50 per child, per week. Around 8,500 children in Central Bedfordshire have received support during the break.
Almost £63,000 will be used to fund supermarket vouchers for care leavers (young adults between 18 and 25 years old who have previously spent time in care before they were 18 years old).
The remaining funding will go to:
> Third sector organisations in Central Bedfordshire, who will receive £430,000 enabling them to distribute food and offer vouchers to offset utility and wider essential support to eligible households.
> The Children’s Centre Crisis Fund, which will receive £200,000. The fund will provide immediate assistance to local families who engage with the services of children’s centres, with public services such as health, housing, education and other partners able to refer families in need.
> A new Adults Crisis Fund of £150,000 to provide support to adults facing food or fuel poverty.
Further details of the third sector organisations who will receive funding, and how people can access support, will be published on the council’s website .
Cllr John Baker, Executive Member for Finance, said: "The council's administration was pleased to agree another round of funding for important causes that are selected to support the least well off residents.
"Funding included more money for families, through our Children's Centre Crisis Fund and additional support for those in receipt of Free School Meals; vulnerable adults through our Adult's Crisis Fund; and charitable groups that are targeting food and fuel vouchers to those most in need.
"Whilst the government has cut its Household Support funding by 12%, we continue to work with all councillors to provide targeted support through the funding made available to us."