That the Household Support Fund (HSF7) from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 be allocated as follows:

1.    Fuel Support £168,000;

2.    Food Vouchers £100,000;

3.    Care Experienced Young People £50,000;

4.    Food Support:

-       Foodbanks £194,500

-       Social Supermarkets £154,000

-       Food Alliance Coordinator £15,000;

5.    Warm Spaces £35,000;

6.    Help for homeless people to secure and set up new accommodation £110,000;

7.    Debt and benefit advice £127,500;

8.    Direct applications from households who are in receipt of welfare benefits and who receive a disability benefit or have children. Payment of £100 on application made directly into customer bank account:

-           Budget -Households with a disability £180,000

-           Budget - Households with children £220,000;

9.    Financial support for households with acute financial challenges (All household types, applications via partners) £400,000;

10.  £50 payments for Working Age Council Tax Reduction recipients £290,000; and

11.  Contingency budget (1.18% of available spend for services) £24,416.

To meet the grant restrictions and prioritise addressing hunger, poverty and housing for those in need within Torbay.

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This decision will be implemented immediately.

The Household Support Fund (HSF) was introduced in October 2021, providing councils with funding to support those in the community most negatively impacted by the cost-of-living crisis. The funding has been extended to cover 1 April 2025 – 31 March 2026 with Torbay receiving an allocation of £2,177,279.70 in the latest scheme (HSF7).

The objective of the fund is to provide crisis support to vulnerable households in most need with the cost of essentials.  The fund is expected to support vulnerable households with energy and water bills, food, and wider essentials, and authorities should prioritise support which offers an immediate impact to those in need. 

Authorities are expected to offer support throughout the duration of the fund period and must develop a delivery plan to reflect this.  Reasonable administrative expenses can be charged to the grant.

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