A report presented to councillors at a recent meeting said 2,070 households have received help with food and 604 have received aid with fuel costs. Three hundred and thirty two young families have been supported by “baby banks”. Six “community fridges” have been established in the borough.
Advertisement Advertisement Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to NorthernIrelandWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you. It also noted the council’s hardship fund has been able to support 82 community and voluntary groups which offer support with food and fuel costs to those who are experiencing financial difficulties. The council was awarded £306,432 in funding by the Department for Communities (DfC) for the hardship scheme in the 2023/24 financial year.
DfC has advised this funding is non recurrent and may not be available in future years. Funding was delivered locally through direct awards to established community partners delivering food relief and to constituted community groups which can contribute to providing additional food relief. The report said: “The 2023/24 Hardship Scheme has extensively supported individuals and families experiencing both food and fuel poverty in the borough, whilst helping to support and sustain projects and organisations which offer support with food and fuel to those who are experiencing financial difficulties including food and fuel distress.
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