More food vouchers are on the cards for families as councillors decide how to spend £2 million in government funding to support vulnerable people in Brighton and Hove.
The government cash is to provide support for food, fuel and other essentials over the winter until the end of March.
Members of Brighton and Hove City Council’s Policy and Resources (Recovery) Sub-Committee are being asked to approve plans to allocate the money when they meet on Thursday (4 November).
The council must use at least half of the grant to support families with children – and officials have proposed spending more than £500,000 on food vouchers for them during the school holidays.
At Christmas and in the half-term holidays, they would go to poorer families, including those with children who qualify for free school meals.
Officials have already signed off £139,000 for food vouchers during the October half-term break.
The money must be spent by the end of March so officials have proposed putting £270,000 towards vouchers for the Easter holidays to be distributed before April.
The report said:
“One of the key elements of the fund will be the ongoing provision of vouchers for families in receipt of free school meals during the holidays.
“Government covid funding previously enabled the council to provide this support during all school holiday periods from December 2020, including summer 2021.
“It has proven to be a lifeline for low-income and vulnerable families and the new funding will enable the council to continue the same level of support.
“It is proposed that the amounts of the vouchers will again be £15 per week. Associated funding is also proposed for the provision of vouchers for schools to allocate as they deem appropriate, early years and the children’s centres.
“The funding for the children’s centres will enable them to switch their offer from direct food provision to food vouchers which will be more efficient and will also enable service users to have more control and choice over their situation.”
The second-largest amount, £404,000, is earmarked for the Local Discretionary Social Fund to help those receiving benefits with food, energy bills and other essentials.
The report said that the fund, which had an initial budget of £180,000, was “a key resource for crisis and emergency help in the city for low-income households on benefits, or those waiting for benefits”, adding:
“Demand has been high this year due to covid.”
The council’s Policy and Resource (Recovery) Sub-Committee is due to meet at Hove Town Hall at 4pm on Thursday (4 November). The meeting is scheduled to be webcast on the council’s website.
West Sussex County Council is also considering extending family food vouchers over Christmas and into next year.
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