Withdrawal of Household Support Fund would be catastrophic for some of our most vulnerable citizens
Over half the British population live in cities, and cities remain drivers of the UK’s economic growth. In our cities, we oversee a microcosm of global challenges, and city leadership plays a significant role in improving the economic, social and environmental prosperity of our residents. For our country to do better, everyone in our cities must do better.
Some of England’s highest levels of deprivation are found in our cities, and complex, deep rooted problems need long term solutions; structurally, socially and financially. A national ambition to end child poverty, to help everyone achieve their potential. Programmes like our Making Manchester Fairer work to tackle health and wealth inequalities and tackle structural disadvantage.
But in the midst of a cost of living crisis, temporary fixes cannot be cast aside until the crisis passes.
The Household Support Fund (HSF) is a lifeline for some of our most vulnerable citizens and that’s why we as Core Cities Leaders wrote to Prime Minister and Chancellor to extend the scheme.
During 2023-24 the eight English Core Cities received more than £96m from the fund. A drop in the ocean when you think about how much has been cut from local government since 2010. We, like many across local government, believe that not extending it beyond March will be catastrophic for many people in our poorest communities.
In Liverpool some 330,000 residents have been helped with food, fuel and emergency costs in the form of hardship payments, including a woman caring for her terminally ill mother who was facing financial hardship at Christmas.
And in Leeds the fund has allowed targeted support to some of its most vulnerable residents, including women fleeing domestic violence who need help with food vouchers and utility costs.
But we also know that continuing to extend temporary funds is no way to tackle deeply ingrained inequalities in both income and opportunity. Emergency cash payouts are no substitute for longer term reform of the state, no match for long term investment in preventative, locally led, joined up services that save and improve lives. That is one of the messages we are raising ahead of the General Election later this year.
But in the meantime, our message is clear. Don’t cut the lifeline to families in distress, sticking plasters are all we have left.