Slow cookers, cookbooks, electric blankets - how SHDC is spending government funding

Slow cookers, cookbooks, electric blankets: Just some of the ways South Hams District Council will distribute £187,311 of government funding allocated to them by Devon County Council.

South Hams District Council has said that the Government has "now made a further £421m available" to county councils and unitary authorities in England to "support those most in need with the rising cost of living".

This latest fund must be used to support households in the most need and "particularly those who may not be eligible for other support the government has recently made available". 

At the meeting of its Executive last week, South Hams District Council’s Lead Member for the Cost of Living, Cllr Nicky Hopwood, said that South Hams would "like to focus on supporting those who may be just above income thresholds, meaning they do not qualify for other support".

Cllr Hopwood said: “We have seen many different funds come forward to support residents in different ways. But as always it is those people just outside of the thresholds for getting help that will be suffering the most.

“This funding has to be spent by March 2023, and we wanted to devise a range of different ways to help families. We didn’t just want to provide the funds, but by providing things like slow cookers and electric blankets we can help the residents save money and reduce their costs for a longer period of time."

The Executive proposed to use the funds in the following ways:

• Making payments of £650 to working age households receiving council tax reduction and not receiving passported benefits on 1 December 2022. It is estimated that 21 households will benefit as a result.
• Making payments of £300 to households receiving council tax disabled band reduction on 1 December 2022. It is estimated that we will be able to support 234 households who are likely to have additional energy costs due to disabilities.
• Providing funding of £10,000 to help partners provide slow cookers and cookbooks, electric blankets, warm clothing and sleeping bags to individuals and households identified as being in need.
• Using the remainder of the funding to offer an open application process to provide support to low-income households and others in financial need.

South Hams District Council says that the key to distributing this money is to "get it out to those most in need as quickly as possible and the council has a proven track record in this area".

The council officers have now been given permission to activate these plans and more news on the fund and how direct payments will be made will follow in the coming days.

For more information of everything that the council is doing for the cost of living – visit: www.southhams.gov.uk/cost-of-living-help