Council Doubles Value of Food Vouchers for Vulnerable Households

A council has doubled the value of food vouchers it is offering vulnerable households facing the cost of living crisis.

Ribble Valley Borough Council has received money from the Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund to help vulnerable households pay for food and energy.

The council has used the money to set up a Household Support Fund, which has attracted 191 applications and given over £18,000 in food vouchers to 124 households in the borough.

Now the council has launched a new phase of the fund to support households who do not qualify for other Government support.

The fund is aimed particularly at families with children, pensioners, unpaid carers and people with disabilities.

And not only have the food vouchers doubled in value to £200 for single households, £300 for households with two or more adults and £500 for households with children, but the qualifying household income threshold has been raised from  £31,400 to £41,718.

What’s more anyone who has already received assistance from the fund will automatically receive a top-up to the new amount.

Ribble Valley Borough Council leader Stephen Atkinson said: “The cost of living crisis is unprecedented and many households not ordinarily entitled to help are struggling to make ends meet.

“We particularly want to support households, who earn below the average household wage, or are vulnerable to rising prices, for example single-income families, unpaid carers and disabled people.

“We hope doubling the value of these vouchers will go some way in helping our vulnerable families make it through these difficult times.”

The vouchers are available until March 31 2023, while funds last, and only one application per household is allowed.

Households in receipt of a council tax rebate, disability cost of living payment or funds from the energy bills support scheme are invited to apply.

The Ribble Valley Foodbank will also receive £1,000 for its forthcoming ‘simple soup’ scheme.

The fund will not impact on any benefits that applicants already receive and further information and an application form is available at ribblevalley.gov.uk.