Blaenau Gwent councillors have today voted to distribute funding of £746,000 to help eligible residents with household bills through a discretionary cost of living payment, and to make significant donations to local organisations supporting people at this time.
Welsh Government has awarded Councils additional funding following on from the previous Cost of Living payment scheme. A £150 Cost of Living Payment will now be made to eligible households in Council Tax Bands E to H, which were not covered by the earlier scheme together with £100 to families entitled to Free School Meals.
A £30,000 donation is also being made to the Blaenau Gwent Foodbank, with a further £70,000 available for other food distribution groups operating in the borough and £50,000 to the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, organisations that are helping people through the cost of living crisis.
Leader of Blaenau Gwent Council, Cllr Steve Thomas says:
“We recognise the immense pressure the current cost of living crisis is having on many people locally, and have made it one of our immediate priorities to do all we can as a Council to support our communities. I’m pleased that the Full Council has today recognised this and approved this funding package.
“We are pleased to be able to offer the Cost of Living payment to those eligible households, and also to be able to make substantial donations to local organisations which are working hard to support people at this time, and sadly are more in demand than ever.”
If you are eligible for the payment and currently pay Council Tax by direct debit, the payment will be automatically transferred into your registered bank account. Everyone else eligible will receive a letter in the post informing them how to apply.
More details will be available on the Council website soon.
