South Shropshire MP welcomes additional £2m for vulnerable households
A south Shropshire MP has welcomed a £2 million cash injection for local vulnerable households to help get them through the winter.
Shropshire Council will receive an additional £2,088,795 to support local households who need additional support this winter as part of the £500m Household Support Fund.
Ludlow MP Philip Dunne, who was speaking after the £20 a week Universal Credit uplift was cut, said: “While this week we had welcome confirmation of more people moving off welfare and into work as the economy recovers, I know there will be local families who require additional support this winter.
"So I am pleased the government has made an extra £2m available to Shropshire Council, who can use the funds to support those most in need in our community, helping to meet the cost of daily essentials.”
Councils can make allocations through small grants to meet daily needs, such as food, clothing and utilities.
This fund bolsters support from the Warm Home Discount, which provides a £140 rebate on energy bills each winter to over 2.2 million low-income households, and the Cold Weather Payment which provides £25 extra a week for poorer households when the temperature is consistently below zero.
This new fund will run over winter and those in need of support should contact Shropshire Council to help them access the funds.
Mr Dunne also pointed to the most recently monthly data on unemployment which show that joblessness in south Shropshire has fallen for the seventh consecutive month, and remains below the national average.
