Dr Luke Evans, Member of Parliament for Hinckley and Bosworth, has welcomed the new Government’s decision to extend the Household Support Fund, which was set up by the Conservative Government in October 2021.
Dr Evans called on the Government to extend the Fund, which has seen over £2bn distributed to Local Authorities since its inception in October 2021 to help vulnerable residents with energy and water bills, food and other essential items.
In the fifth iteration of the Fund which runs from April to September 2024, Leicestershire County Council, which administers the Fund for local residents, has received over 500 applications for food and fuel vouchers from people living in Hinckley and Bosworth.
On 2nd September the Department for Work and Pensions announced it would be extending the Household Support Fund until April 2025 with an uplift of £500m to Councils across the United Kingdom.
Leicestershire County Council has used its allocation from the Fund to provide £15 food vouchers for children in receipt of free school meals for each week of the school holiday, food or fuel vouchers for households referred to the Council and support for food banks and charities.
The extension to the Household Support Fund comes amid growing backlash at the new Labour Government’s decision to restrict Winter Fuel Payments – worth up to £300 per year – so that only pensioners in receipt of Pension Credit or other means-tested benefits receive the support this winter.
Local MP Dr Evans is urging pensioners worried about the changes to check their eligibility for Pension Credit so that “all pensioners in our community are receiving the support they are entitled to.”
Dr Luke Evans, Member of Parliament for Hinckley and Bosworth, said “I’m pleased to see the Government has taken the decision to extend the Household Support Fund for another six months.
“Since its inception under the previous Government in 2021, the Fund has provided valuable support for people across our community as cost of living increases put additional pressures on some of our most vulnerable friends and neighbours.
“I’m pleased to see the new Government has recognised the importance of this Fund and strongly advise anyone across Hinckley and Bosworth who thinks they may be eligible for this support to seek further advice.”
