More vulnerable residents to benefit from over £2million support from North Northamptonshire Council

16 June 2022

More vulnerable residents in the North Northamptonshire Council area will be given a helping hand through the Government’s Household Support Fund 2. 

Through the extended scheme - the Council will use the £2,465,491 grant - provided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), for these payments. 

While during the first Household Support Fund a minimum 50% was designated to be used to support families with children, this time it is split equally between families with children, pensioners, and also households demonstrating severe financial hardship, with a third of the funding pot allocated to each.

Pensioners receiving Pension Credit will each be awarded £100, with an additional Pension Credit Top Up of £50 for those pensioners with severe disabilities. Pensioners eligible for the payment will be contacted directly by the council in late July; they do not need to go through an application process.  

North Northamptonshire Council has opted to again provide support to families with children on free school meals, providing £20 school holiday food vouchers for up to six weeks. There is no requirement to apply for this payment, this will be administered as usual through existing school systems in the form of vouchers that can be redeemed against shopping costs in a range of supermarkets.

The third element of the funding will help North Northamptonshire Council reach households suffering severe financial hardship, identified through a range of organisations within the voluntary sector. This will enable about 8,000 North Northamptonshire households in severe financial hardship to receive up to a £100 energy or food voucher.

The organisations that the council will use to distribute the hardship vouchers are still being identified, however, the council expects to be in a position to start distributing funds in late July. Further communications will be issued nearer the time.

I am delighted that this iteration of the Household Support Fund gives us the ability to help a wider group of vulnerable residents, including pensioners.

After the success of the first round of funding of this Government grant scheme – the second round will offer continued support for those struggling to make ends meet.Cllr Jason Smithers, Leader of North Northamptonshire Council

Cllr Jason Smithers, Leader of North Northamptonshire Council, said: “I am delighted that this iteration of the Household Support Fund gives us the ability to help a wider group of vulnerable residents, including pensioners.

“After the success of the first round of funding of this Government grant scheme – the second round will offer continued support for those struggling to make ends meet.”