Concern vulnerable residents are missing out on Household Support Fund as they don't know about it
Vulnerable residents desperately in need of support for essentials such as food or household furniture are slipping through the net because they don't know about the household support fund, councillors said.
Cheshire East has received nearly £3.9 million from the government to help the most vulnerable families with food, utilities, white goods, housing support and other household essentials.
The funding, which the government has slashed by 15 per cent from last year, will be allocated between now and September 30.
The household support fund was welcomed by members of the children and families committee on Monday (April 7), although some expressed concern the council hadn't publicised it enough and many vulnerable people had never heard of it.
Cllr Brian Puddicombe (Macclesfield, Lab) said: "I think this is a good news story, despite the 15 per cent reduction, which is probably understandable in the current climate."
He told the meeting at Macclesfield Town Hall the feedback from people who had received support was good and everybody involved in the scheme should be thanked.
However, Sandbach councillor Nicola Cook (Ind) expressed concerns around the council's marketing of the scheme.
She said she had referred about 35 people to the HSF and 'what struck me from those referrals are many of them are in absolute, desperate need'.
"They've got no carpets, they've got no furniture, got no beds. They're literally living from cheek to jowl and unless I'd publicised it on my Facebook page, they wouldn't have known about it," said Cllr Cook.
"I'm sure we're all sure, there are people out there who are not accessing it because they don't know about it, and they're not connected to referral partners that know about it.
"So I just really want us to challenge, as a council, how we're marketing this fund, and really thinking about how we ensure that we get this out as strongly as possible."
She added: "I'm absolutely delighted that it is continuing, it makes a real, real difference for people, but I'm really, really conscious that we've got hidden poverty out there, and it's how we connect to those individuals and families so that they do know the support is there."
Committee chairman Laura Crane (Sandbach, Lab) agreed the council needed to advertise the HSF and the help available.
The committee voted to endorse the proposed delivery model of the HSF for 2025/26 and delegate authority of the grant to the executive director of children's services.
More information about the HSF can be found on Cheshire East Council's website at: cheshireeast.gov.uk/council_and_democracy/council_information/financial-support/household-support-fund.aspx
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