After months of uncertainty for local authorities across the country, the Chancellor has today announced that the Household Support Fund (HSF) will be extended ‘at current levels’ for a further six months.
This news has been met with relief by councils and charities alike, who have been calling for its extension since the run-up to the Autumn Statement in November – which failed to mention plans for the fund.
It will relieve some pressures for now – but in real terms, a six-month extension rather than a 12-month extension will mean over £24 million lost in local welfare funding for Greater Manchester. Non-profit Greater Manchester Poverty Action (GMPA) warns that the government must go further to make local welfare assistance schemes secure and effective.
Graham Whitham, CEO at GMPA said:
“After months of campaigning from ourselves and partners, it is a relief to hear that the Household Support Fund will be extended for a further six months. The fund has been an absolute lifeline for some of our most vulnerable residents, providing free school meals, support with rising fuel costs and so much more.
“But while we welcome this news, last-minute announcements make planning for local authorities difficult – if not impossible. The piecemeal and uncertain nature of the Household Support Fund thus far means that councils have been unable to plan adequately or recruit permanent staff to deliver the fund, inhibiting its effectiveness.
“A six-month extension with three weeks’ notice is not enough and underlines how short-term the government’s thinking is. By now, staff delivering services funded by the HSF will be working the final weeks of their contract – if they haven’t already left.
“At GMPA we continue to call on the government to introduce a national strategy to tackle poverty, with permanent, ring-fenced funding for local welfare support and an Essentials Guarantee in Universal Credit – so that at the very least, people are protected from going without the essentials.”
