Government urged not to withdraw critical cost-of-living support

Enfield Council is urging the government to extend the Household Support Fund (HSF) as the March end-date looms.

Cllr Tim Leaver, Cabinet Member for Finance and Procurement, has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer warning of the escalating number of people turning to councils for help as the cost-of-living crisis persists.

In the letter, Cllr Leaver says Enfield residents are facing the largest fall in living standards and the highest tax burden since the 1950s and as a result, it is imperative that they receive ongoing financial assistance from the HSF.

The HSF is a fund that aims to help those individuals struggling to pay for food, energy, or other essential items and to support them to resolve their financial issues. The fund has been awarded by the Department for Work and Pensions to Local Authorities.

Cllr Leaver warns in his letter to the Chancellor: “Instead of tackling these issues in the Autumn Statement and subsequent Local Government Finance Settlement, you are taking away the support for families most in need by cutting the Household Support Fund by the end of this financial year.”

He added: “We join calls by the Local Government Association and London Councils for you to continue the Household Support Fund to enable us to support our most vulnerable households through this crisis.”

In Enfield, the £5.6m fund has enabled the Council to help low-income households with cost of meals in the school holidays, school food banks, the cost of school uniforms and direct payments to low income households as well as financial support for residents in Temporary Accommodation. Enfield Council is concerned that the withdrawal of the HSF could result in increased hardship, tipping more households into poverty and homelessness.

Nevertheless, Enfield Council is committed to providing support and advice for residents on low incomes and to ensure the local economy works for everyone. If you need more information on housing costs, debts and bills and preventing homelessness, visit enfield.gov.uk/helpingyou. You will also find on the same page information about Enfield Council’s Community Hubs. The Hubs offer face-to-face support to connect residents to services related to help with money, jobs and skills, health and wellbeing and housing stability.