Bassetlaw Council allocates extra funding for Cost of Living support

The funding comes after the Council hosted a meeting with 20 partner organisations across Bassetlaw to prepare for the impacts of the rising cost of living on residents over the coming autumn and winter months.The information provided by a range of agencies painted a stark picture of the issues that some residents are likely to face in the coming months.

An example of this is the unprecedented demand for the services of Citizens Advice Bassetlaw.

Some of the key issues being raised by service users include debt, benefits advice, energy, housing and employment, with the worst-affected age groups being working-age people who have been hit hard by rising mortgage and rent costs.

Bassetlaw District Council is allocating the following funds.

Citizens Advice Bassetlaw – Welfare Benefits Caseworker costs - £67,206, Citizens Advice Bassetlaw – Housing Caseworker costs - £28,433, Food Bank Community Shop – Staffing and fruit and vegetables - £41,500, Warm Packs - £10,000, Warm Spaces - £5,000 and Co-ordinated Communications - £8,750Karen Whitlam, Chief Executive Officer for Citizens Advice Bassetlaw, said: “The financial assistance from the Council has helped us dealing with unprecedented demand for help from local people. It is only by working together that we can continue to provide support to those most in need as the pressures of the rising cost of living continue.”

Lynn Tupling, Chief Executive of Bassetlaw Action Centre, said: “The warm packs were a significant help to the elderly and vulnerable last winter who were faced with the dilemma of ‘heating or eating’. The funding for the packs from Bassetlaw District Council made this possible and we welcome the support being provided for the 2023/24 winter”.

Councillor Lynne Schuller, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing at Bassetlaw District Council, said: “We have already taken significant steps to protect the most vulnerable groups within our area, and our sincere hope is that the latest allocation of funding will help those who experience difficulties in the next few months, including people who probably never expected that they would need help.”