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鈥淣o child should have to worry about food or warmth this winter鈥� says Work and Pensions Secretary Th茅r猫se Coffey
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Eating and heating are priorities for the scheme, backed by the Department for Work and Pensions.
Supermarket vouchers, winter clothing and funding for utility bills are among the support now being offered to vulnerable families through the government鈥檚 Covid Winter Grant Scheme (CWGS) announced last month.
Millions of pounds from the CWGS reached local authority bank accounts at the end of November 2020, helping councils from Cornwall to Cumbria to support vulnerable people this Christmas and beyond. Examples of funded schemes include:
- In Essex, parents of children age 0-5 are being given Home Start packages, which include basic supplies and winter warmer packs for babies, and Christmas food and gift hampers for care leavers.
- Telford and Wrekin is set to help more than 10,000 vulnerable children and young people with 拢360,000 of funding towards 拢30 supermarket vouchers. It鈥檚 also providing a winter clothing fund for children聽amid concerns that a high number of local children were coming to school without appropriate clothing.
- Wirral is making 拢200,000 available to help low-paid households who are struggling to cover water or energy bills, with support being led by their local branch of Citizens Advice.
- Sutton is offering 拢150 in food vouchers to each family entering emergency accommodation. The council are also topping up the Local Welfare Assistance Scheme, designed to help residents in need get help with food, fuel and replacement white goods.
- In Somerset apprentices and young people (aged 16-18) who are not in employment, education or training are receiving vouchers, which will support them through the coldest months.
- Herefordshire Council is purchasing 拢75 local supermarket vouchers to cover the Christmas period for families. The council will then use some remaining funds to provide additional support for households who are struggling with utility costs.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Th茅r猫se Coffey, said:
No child should have to worry about food or warmth this winter. We have worked with councils across England to ensure the 拢170 million Covid Winter Grant delivers well-targeted support as quickly as possible, primarily focusing on heating and eating for disadvantaged families with children.
The grants are focused on聽helping families buy essentials,聽with at least 80%聽of funds ring-fenced聽to be spent on聽food, energy and water bills, with 20% available for other associated essential costs. Councils can also offer support to vulnerable individuals and households without children.
The remainder of the funds will be given in 2021, as the scheme is designed to run until the end of March 2021.聽The money is distributed to local authorities based on population size, whilst also weighting for deprivation in the local area.
Wider Support
This is all part of the government鈥檚 long-term plan to tackle poor health, hunger and education. In addition to the Covid Winter Grant Scheme, from Easter 2021, the Holiday Activities and Food Fund will be expanded with 拢220m of funding to cover the major school holidays that year. This will help disadvantaged children get healthy food and take part in fun and enriching activities.
Healthy Start scheme payments are also set to increase from 拢3.10 to 拢4.25 a week from next April 2021, and the government has pledged additional funding of 拢16m for the food distribution charity FareShare.
Devolved administrations have received equivalent funding through the upfront funding guarantee, which was recently increased to 拢16bn for the year to support their Covid-19 response.
Case studies and funding allocations
Essex
Essex are using the 拢3.83m they are receiving from the Covid Winter Grant Scheme to more than double a 拢2.4m fund they had put in place to help struggling families and adults through Christmas and winter. This has allowed them to spend the funds 鈥� a total of 拢6.2 million 鈥� on a variety of different schemes.
For example, almost 拢150,000 is being spent on supporting vulnerable hospital leavers as they return home during the winter period, including keeping them warm and making necessary adaptations to their home. A further 拢100,000 is being spent on Home Start packages for parents of children aged 0-5, focused on the most deprived wards across the country. And nearly 拢25,000 is being spent on sending care packages to over 900 care leavers, with each one being worth 拢25 and containing food, vouchers and a gift.
Just over 拢2 million of funding is being used to offer eligible children free school meals vouchers through the Christmas 2020 and February 2021 half-term holidays. 拢580,250 is being spent on holiday hunger initiatives and targeted activities for vulnerable children, and another 拢500,000 is being spent on an Essential Living Fund to help cover food, fuel, household goods and clothes for those most in need.
Herefordshire
Herefordshire intend to purchase 拢75 local supermarket vouchers for families in receipt of free school meals or a pupil premium, or disadvantaged students in college settings. This is intended to cover the cost of food for the two-week Christmas holiday period, and to allow household funds to also be redirected to cover utility bills. This will cost about 70% of their 拢537,980.55 funding.
The remaining 30% will be spent on a variety of different things. 15% of it will be given to charity organisations that are supporting residents in need, such as food banks, and those who provide meals and support to older people and former members of the armed forces. The other 15% will go to recipients of the supermarket vouchers in the new year to help fund utility costs.
Sutton
Sutton will use their funding in a variety of different ways. For example, they are spending 拢95,000 to support those moving into emergency accommodation in their area 鈥� this will consist of funding the service charge (for heating, water and electricity) for four weeks at 拢45.05 per week, as well as 拢150 of food vouchers for families moving in, and 拢60 to each single person moving in. In 2019/20, 225 families and 144 single people moved into emergency accommodation in the area.
They are allocating a further 拢60,000 to top up their own local welfare assistance scheme, which helps residents in crisis by providing support with food, fuel, and replacement white goods. This extra funding will allow them to have more flexibility to assist vulnerable people and increase the level of awards where necessary.
And they are spending 拢50,000 on bespoke awards administered by their Revenues and Benefits Service. This will allow the team to use a simple online form to administer and assess applications from vulnerable residents in receipt of Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reductions.
Somerset
Somerset have received just over 拢1.5 million from the scheme, which they have split to put towards several different areas. For example, they are spending just over 拢30,000 on their Somerset Works programme, which will provide vouchers to apprentices and young people (aged 16-18) not in employment, education or training who are in need this winter.
They are also spending 拢300,000 to create a fund to establish or supplement meal clubs before and after school. Schools and early years settings will be bidding for this funding, and prioritisation will be given to schools in areas of high deprivation or those that are rurally isolated.
Over 12,000 schoolchildren will be fed by 拢650,000 of funding to meet the needs of children in receipt of free school meals. Children not in receipt of free meals will also receive support, as schools and colleges will have access to an additional 15% above their FSM allocation. The council will also allocate 拢26,000 to support parents of early years children through the Healthy Start programme.
Telford & Wrekin
Telford & Wrekin have allocated 拢50,000 to fund a winter coat/clothing fund after hearing that higher numbers of children are coming to school without coats this year. Assuming 拢20 per coat, this would benefit 2,500 children. Schools and Children鈥檚 天美影院 will be asked to identify children/families who most need this support and then refer them through a simple online process.
The council have also allocated 拢360,000 of funding towards 拢30 supermarket vouchers for approximately 10,700 vulnerable children and young people in their area. These vouchers can be used online for those who are self-isolating, and can be used for needs such as clothing as well as food. The vouchers will be emailed to parents along with other information about how families can get financial support. This is in addition to their existing borough-wide breakfast box scheme that is delivered by 11 community providers.
This will leave roughly 拢200,000 for support between January and March 2021, and the council will review their approach after Christmas to decide how this should be used.
Wirral
Wirral Council, who received over 拢1.2 million from the scheme, are investing up to 拢250,000 through individual grants (worth up to 拢10,000 each) to community-based food and welfare support groups. They are also making 拢200,000 available to help households having difficulties with water and energy bills, with support being led by Citizens Advice Wirral.
拢37,000 is being made available to help vulnerable older people facing food poverty. Merseyside Fire and Rescue service will make 鈥榮afe and well鈥� visits to vulnerable households, providing up to 400 temporary radiators. They will also provide up to 1,300 winter warmth packages, containing a scarf, gloves, socks, blanket, mug and gilet. And 拢30,000 will be made available to help around 120 households in financial crisis who need to call out a heating engineer in emergency circumstances.
Over 拢385,000 will be used to provide breakfast and lunch to over 6,300 local children during the Christmas holidays and February half term. And 拢80,000 will be earmarked to help Wirral鈥檚 Humanitarian Cell to provide emergency support for people in crisis, by offering support for specialist food, clothing and essential items, such as white goods.
| County Councils and Unitary Authorities |
DWP allocation of 拢170 million |
| Barking and Dagenham London Borough |
拢870,076.68 |
| Barnet London Borough |
拢986,960.35 |
| Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢946,111.32 |
| Bath and North East Somerset Council |
拢386,700.64 |
| Bexley London Borough |
拢619,722.83 |
| Birmingham City Council |
拢5,188,935.15 |
| Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council |
拢645,965.10 |
| Blackpool Borough Council |
拢704,710.72 |
| Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢1,110,882.11 |
| Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council |
拢1,068,327.58 |
| Bracknell Forest Borough Council |
拢221,214.27 |
| Brent London Borough |
拢1,142,416.48 |
| Brighton and Hove Council |
拢865,416.71 |
| Bristol Council |
拢1,640,461.40 |
| Bromley London Borough |
拢753,861.37 |
| Buckinghamshire County Council |
拢967,503.82 |
| Bury Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢619,418.58 |
| Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢734,010.82 |
| Cambridgeshire County Council |
拢1,459,490.26 |
| Camden London Borough |
拢783,243.59 |
| Central Bedfordshire UA |
拢587,054.00 |
| Cheshire East UA |
拢880,471.92 |
| Cheshire West and Chester UA |
拢925,446.97 |
| City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council |
拢2,280,372.57 |
| City of London |
拢20,166.03 |
| City of York Council |
拢416,729.66 |
| Cornwall County UA |
拢1,831,567.30 |
| County of Herefordshire District Council |
拢537,980.55 |
| Coventry City Council |
拢1,292,612.14 |
| Croydon London Borough |
拢1,206,805.20 |
| Cumbria County Council |
拢1,496,417.79 |
| Darlington Borough Council |
拢364,817.20 |
| Derby City Council |
拢899,489.62 |
| Derbyshire County Council |
拢2,181,024.15 |
| Devon County Council |
拢2,042,754.05 |
| Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢1,203,509.07 |
| Dorset Council |
拢922,153.80 |
| Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢1,058,104.52 |
| Durham County UA |
拢1,872,512.86 |
| Ealing London Borough |
拢1,068,982.09 |
| East Riding of Yorkshire Council |
拢825,096.34 |
| East Sussex County Council |
拢1,594,930.86 |
| Enfield London Borough |
拢1,149,542.86 |
| Essex County Council |
拢3,838,050.28 |
| Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢740,348.86 |
| Gloucestershire County Council |
拢1,507,674.65 |
| Greenwich London Borough |
拢967,678.82 |
| Hackney London Borough |
拢1,152,002.41 |
| Halton Borough Council |
拢519,963.33 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough |
拢585,126.11 |
| Hampshire County Council |
拢2,898,701.72 |
| Haringey London Borough |
拢986,329.83 |
| Harrow London Borough |
拢588,955.86 |
| Hartlepool Council |
拢396,948.59 |
| Havering London Borough |
拢664,716.69 |
| Hertfordshire County Council |
拢2,493,530.80 |
| Hillingdon London Borough |
拢831,315.79 |
| Hounslow London Borough |
拢823,377.35 |
| Isle of Wight Council |
拢456,845.34 |
| Isles of Scilly Council |
拢4,147.67 |
| Islington London Borough |
拢877,270.22 |
| Kensington and Chelsea Royal Borough |
拢471,864.58 |
| Kent County Council |
拢4,504,098.51 |
| Kingston Upon Hull City Council |
拢1,229,116.79 |
| Kingston upon Thames Royal Borough |
拢343,579.32 |
| Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢1,487,770.76 |
| Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢740,731.55 |
| Lambeth London Borough |
拢1,118,444.74 |
| Lancashire County Council |
拢3,920,808.87 |
| Leeds City Council |
拢2,837,556.77 |
| Leicester City Council |
拢1,401,735.27 |
| Leicestershire County Council |
拢1,462,162.43 |
| Lewisham London Borough |
拢1,082,507.93 |
| Lincolnshire County Council |
拢2,223,450.43 |
| Liverpool City Council |
拢2,438,778.60 |
| London Borough of Richmond upon Thames |
拢336,857.43 |
| Luton Borough Council |
拢732,712.95 |
| Manchester City Council |
拢2,581,417.35 |
| Medway Borough Council |
拢908,596.17 |
| Merton London Borough |
拢476,193.25 |
| Middlesbrough Borough |
拢659,634.41 |
| Milton Keynes Council |
拢722,191.40 |
| Newcastle upon Tyne Metropolitan District Council |
拢1,147,567.52 |
| Newham London Borough |
拢1,354,166.89 |
| Norfolk County Council |
拢2,740,592.35 |
| North East Lincolnshire Council |
拢628,462.94 |
| North Lincolnshire Council |
拢532,566.93 |
| North Somerset Council |
拢528,410.63 |
| North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢644,988.11 |
| North Yorkshire County Council |
拢1,435,400.85 |
| Northamptonshire County Council |
拢2,080,715.35 |
| Northumberland County UA |
拢992,515.33 |
| Nottingham City Council |
拢1,414,274.85 |
| Nottinghamshire County Council |
拢2,316,008.18 |
| Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢974,688.98 |
| Oxfordshire |
拢1,367,906.39 |
| Peterborough City Council |
拢743,661.56 |
| Plymouth City Council |
拢926,040.55 |
| Portsmouth City Council |
拢765,635.46 |
| Reading Borough Council |
拢464,497.68 |
| Redbridge London Borough |
拢788,900.75 |
| Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council |
拢522,778.70 |
| Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢936,916.05 |
| Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢1,007,395.16 |
| Rutland County Council District Council |
拢63,022.00 |
| Salford Metropolitan District Council |
拢1,089,353.76 |
| Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢1,404,606.44 |
| Sheffield City Council |
拢2,090,323.22 |
| Shropshire County UA |
拢841,634.07 |
| Slough Borough Council |
拢475,125.36 |
| Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢565,838.18 |
| Somerset County Council |
拢1,545,187.24 |
| South Gloucestershire Council |
拢569,161.01 |
| South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢596,981.79 |
| Southampton City Council |
拢900,866.24 |
| Southend-on-Sea Borough Council |
拢573,689.90 |
| Southwark London Borough |
拢1,111,657.80 |
| St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢716,322.51 |
| Staffordshire County Council |
拢2,221,422.84 |
| Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢867,758.09 |
| Stockton-On-Tees聽Borough Council |
拢679,491.40 |
| Stoke-on-Trent City Council |
拢1,083,577.42 |
| Suffolk County Council |
拢2,077,927.29 |
| Sunderland City Council |
拢1,071,863.77 |
| Surrey County Council |
拢2,126,391.50 |
| Sutton London Borough |
拢461,996.24 |
| Swindon Borough Council |
拢614,935.46 |
| Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢894,614.60 |
| Telford and Wrekin Council |
拢609,359.45 |
| Thurrock Council |
拢523,003.90 |
| Torbay Borough Council |
拢500,463.83 |
| Tower Hamlets London Borough |
拢1,203,030.43 |
| Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢588,244.62 |
| Wakefield Metropolitan District Council |
拢1,259,170.55 |
| Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢1,134,745.58 |
| Waltham Forest London Borough |
拢945,547.02 |
| Wandsworth London Borough |
拢836,207.30 |
| Warrington Borough Council |
拢581,642.70 |
| Warwickshire County Council |
拢1,404,610.50 |
| West Berkshire District Council |
拢278,888.42 |
| West Sussex County Council |
拢1,989,591.80 |
| Westminster City Council |
拢766,382.48 |
| Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢1,124,537.72 |
| Wiltshire County UA |
拢1,107,932.98 |
| Windsor and Maidenhead Royal Borough Council |
拢236,355.75 |
| Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢1,224,616.93 |
| Wokingham District Council |
拢208,703.00 |
| Wolverhampton Metropolitan Borough Council |
拢1,061,922.62 |
| Worcestershire County Council |
拢1,607,260.87 |
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