£7m support fund to boost the city’s most vulnerable householders

By Don Mort, local democracy reporter

The use of more than £7 million in Government funding to support vulnerable households has been officially approved by Leeds Council.

People will be helped with the cost of food and fuel after being allocated cash to the city from the Household Support Fund (HSF).

The fund, first launched in 2021 by the Department for Work and Pensions, has been extended by six months from April this year.

A Leeds City Council report said £2.7 million will be spent on cash payments to more than 62,500 households on Council Tax Support (CTS).

Those with children will receive a payment of £100. Pensioners and working-age adults without children will receive £25.

They will receive letters containing a barcode which can be taken to the post office with their ID to redeem the cash.

The report said: “The area of ​​greatest expenditure will be through the Council Tax Support scheme.

“This will ensure that some of the lowest income households in the city receive direct support without the need for an application process.

The second biggest HSF allocation was £1.7m to charities across the city including Leeds Food Aid Network, Voluntary Action Leeds, Forum Central and Fareshare.

A further allocation of £200,000 will go towards the city’s local welfare support scheme.

The report said: “Funding for this scheme will ensure that people applying for crisis and emergency support who may not have received support from other areas can also receive some support.”

A further £200,000 will cover cash awards for people claiming Discretionary Housing Payments. The payment will be £250 for households with children, up from £200 in the last HSF period, the report said.

The council will also set aside £350,000 to support people facing difficulties as they migrate to Universal Credit from other benefits.

The city’s Department of Children’s Services will receive £350,000 to help the vulnerable families it supports.

And around £225,000 will be allocated to support Housing Leeds tenants who are experiencing financial difficulties.

The report said: “This may include tenants with large arrears or rent arrears and a sudden loss of income and tenants who have suffered fire or flood damage.”

The report said £225,000 would go to Leeds Housing Options to help the homeless and those at risk of losing their homes.

Leeds have been allocated a total of £7.09m to spend between 1 April and 30 September.