Chipping Parish Council

  RIBBLE VALLEY RESIDENTS URGED TO APPLY FOR A SLICE OF £240,000 HOUSEHOLD SUPPORT FUND

 A new phase of a £240,000 support fund, aimed at vulnerable households in Ribble Valley, will be open for applications from October 2.

 Funded by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), the latest phase of the household support fund is aimed at those households who have not yet benefited from previous funding rounds of the scheme.

 Ribble Valley Borough Council has enhanced the scheme by increasing the qualifying household income threshold to £50,000 and is encouraging eligible households to apply now to secure their vouchers.

 Aimed particularly at families with children, pensioners, unpaid carers and people with disabilities, the following voucher amounts can be applied for: £200 for single households, £300 for households with two or more adults, and £500 for households with children.

 In addition, to assist residents with their applications and to also help those residents who feel they could benefit from additional support and benefit advice, Ribble Valley Borough Council has recently appointed a debt and cost of living advisor.

 Nicola Hopkins, Ribble Valley Borough Council’s director of economic development and planning said: “As a council, we are aware of the ongoing cost of living crisis and the challenges this represents for residents and families living and working within the borough.

 “We are committed to supporting our most vulnerable residents and making sure that they can access all the funding and benefits that they are entitled to. 

 “We would encourage any eligible households who have not already applied for the household support fund to do so.  We would also encourage any residents who feel that they may need advice or additional support to contact our debt and cost of living advisor”.

 Applications for the household support fund opened on October 2 2023 and will close on December 1 2023.   Further application rounds may be opened, subject to sufficient funding.  Only one application per household is allowed.  Households who are in receipt of cost-of-living payments are not eligible to apply.

 Eligible households who wish to apply for the household support fund can do so via the following online form: Household  Support Fund   Any queries regarding the online form or the scheme itself should be e mailed to: householdsupportfund@ribblevalley.gov.uk

 The debt and cost of living advisor can be contacted via the customer service team by telephone on 01200 425111.  Full details of additional support available to help with the cost of living can be found at https://www.gov.uk/cost-of-living.

 Ref:     092923.

Date:   September 29 2023

Further details for the press are available from Ribble Valley Borough Council’s communications unit on 01200 414483 or 07971 978766.