£2.2million Boost to Support Tameside’s Most Vulnerable Residents

TAMESIDE’S most vulnerable residents will be supported through cost-of-living pressures with a £2.2 million funding boost.

Tameside Council’s Executive Cabinet has approved how the borough’s allocation for the Household Support Fund (HSF) will be used to help low-income households.

These range from supermarket vouchers for families during school holidays to an open application scheme where residents can apply for support.

Previously, the HSF has supported thousands of residents across the borough, including pensioners, children, carers, and disabled people, with food, energy and wider essentials. 

The funding from the Government has been split into seven programmes to ensure it is spread as widely as possible and reaches those in need.

This includes:

• Vouchers for school holidays for families and young people eligible for free school meals.
• Targeted support and direct awards for individuals, families and households including carers, care leavers and those with a disability to prevent crisis.
• Funding for Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) organisations to provide support over the colder months as well as funding to the foodbank and food pantry network and Tameside Community Food Skills Project.
• Advice provision via the council’s Welfare Rights and Debt Advice Service.
• Essential Household Items through the Tameside Resettlement Scheme.
• Support with housing costs to enable moves from temporary accommodation into secure housing.
• An Open Application Scheme into which residents can apply for help with the costs of food, energy and/or related essentials. Visit www.tameside.gov.uk/householdsupportfund for more information around when the scheme will be launched and how to apply.

Tameside Council’s Executive Member for Finance and Resources, Cllr Jack Naylor, said: “I’m delighted that the Household Support Fund is continuing and we’re using the latest £2.2million funding to help low-income households. We’re determined to do everything we can to help people with cost-of-living pressures, particularly our most vulnerable residents.

“From supermarket vouchers for families in the school holidays to grants for food, fuel and other essentials and funding for community groups to keep people safe and warm, this money will be going to those most in need.”

Between April and September this year, the council helped with grants and essentials for 63,000 households in Tameside, including 47,000 households with children, 4,200 households with pensioners, and 4,600 households with a disabled person.

Last year, the council also supported more than 18,000 people via 41 different community groups, providing packed lunches, hot food, food parcels, warm spaces, emergency winter packs including warm clothes, blankets, hats, fuel top ups, cooking classes and activities to reduce social isolation. And the Council’s Welfare Rights Team supported 2,378 residents with advice and appeal representation resulting in benefit payments increasing by £4.9 million. A further 1,588 residents were assisted with emergency food related support.

The latest HSF funding covers up to the end of March 2025. Visit www.tameside.gov.uk/householdsupportfund for more information.

Helping Hand cost-of-living support information is also available 24/7 online at www.tameside.gov.uk/helpinghand