South Hams families offered support packages

£300,000 lifeline handout

Carers, care leavers and families struggling to pay for expensive school uniforms will be among those to benefit from a £300,000 ‘lifeline’ handout from South Hams Council.

Cllr Mark Long (Ind, Salcombe and Thurlestone) told an executive committee meeting: “It’s disappointing that it’s not more.” 

Members were unanimous when it came to voting on the package of measures, which are paid for through the government’s Household Support Fund. Devon County Council receives the money and divides it among the county’s districts according to the number of people who claim Universal Credit.

The formula means that South Hams receives £297,896.

A report to the meeting explained that the money is intended to help vulnerable households with immediate crisis support, such as for food and help with energy bills. Local councils are also asked to think about how they can offer long-term support for things like providing insulation or energy efficient household items which reduce bills.

Members agreed immediate support payments of £500 to local care leavers with a further £500 in December. There will also be immediate payments of £150 to households receiving a council tax carers discount, again with a further £150 in December. Immediate support will be given to families receiving council tax reductions to help with buying school uniform and other school related essentials.

The council will give £5,000 to Homemaker Southwest to help provide a case worker to assist families with debt or welfare benefit issues, and £10,000 to South Dartmoor

Community Energy towards its work on home heating, cooling and damp.

The rest of the money will be open to applications.

Cllr Julian Brazil (Lib Dem, Stokenham) said it was a ‘fantastic’ initiative and congratulated the council’s officers for making sure the money where it was most needed.

“The government should come and see what we do with the money,” he said. “They came unstuck with the winter fuel payments because they didn’t know how to give the money to the people who really needed it.

“If they gave us the money we’d know who to give it to.”

And Cllr Long added: “This is a lifeline for some families.”