Council to add further £4 million to help most vulnerable Doncaster residents through cost of living crisis

One area of focus is providing additional support to help residents that are struggling with the cost of living crisis, including energy price rises and food price hikes.

Measures comprise allocating a further £4 million of funding to support the most vulnerable residents in response to the cost of living crisis.

This will in effect more than double the financial support that Government is providing and The Household Support fund will total over £7 million.

As part of plans, Doncaster Council will provide financial support; consisting of £200 payment to pensioners on housing benefit or council tax reduction and £200 payment to working age households on housing benefit or council tax reduction – with or without children.

The additional funding will also extend the support for vulnerable households with children over the Summer Holidays.

This will be through providing school holiday food vouchers to children currently in school and in receipt of free school meals and payments for non-school age children where the household is in receipt of a council tax reduction or housing benefit.

The number of people who claim the money, via Universal Credit, access to a fuel allowance is predicted to double to a level only previously experienced during the pandemic.

Mayor Ros Jones said: “During a turbulent 12 month period we have continued to manage our resources and money effectively. An underspend of this nature is unexpected but welcome during this cost of living crisis, it will enable us to offer more support to our most vulnerable residents.

“We do all we can, where we can, to support the people of our borough during this cost of living crisis. We’re all experiencing day-to-day price increases from heating our home to fuel for the car and the cost of our shopping.

“We’re looking to help those most in need and support people where ever we can. We will not be able to make these financial challenges disappear but if we can reduce the impact on households we will do so.”