A further £50,000 of funding is to be made available for households struggling with cost of living increases in North Devon.

North Devon Council has been able to bolster its Household Support Fund (HSF) to ensure more residents can benefit from cost of living support into the autumn.

The council's strategy and resources committee agreed to reallocate £30,000 of unused HSF administration costs when it met on Monday, 5 August, while Devon County Council has grant funded an additional £20,000 to support the scheme in North Devon.

The latest round of the HSF opened in April 2024 and has seen incredibly high demand, with 90% of the £253,000 available claimed within three months. The council temporarily suspended applications to the scheme at the end of June until the end of August to ensure funding would be available to residents during autumn. 

The additional money will ensure the council can reopen applications to the HSF in September and provide funding to residents until the fifth round draws to a close nationwide on 30 September 2024.

Leader of North Devon Council, Councillor David Clayton, said: "We understand the pressures our residents continue to face during the cost of living crisis and have seen how valuable the Household Support Fund has been to so many of our residents on low incomes. We hope that by maximising the resources we have available, we can help alleviate some of those pressures for our residents."

Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member with responsibility for communities, Councillor Roger Croad, said: “For many people in Devon, a small change in their personal circumstances, or an unexpected cost out of the blue, can put them in real difficulty, and we know that there are people in our communities who will struggle to cope. This money supports those most in need, and by working with our colleagues across Devon’s district and city councils and the community and charity sector, and sharing knowledge and expertise about the communities they work in, we want to make sure it reaches the right people.”

The HSF is funded by UK Government. The council has awarded more than £1.6million to the most vulnerable households in North Devon through the HSF since its launch in October 2021.

Funding is distributed as a mixture of direct award vouchers and an application scheme which allows more than 25 organisations to apply on behalf of their clients. 

More information about the Household Support Fund will be available once it reopens on the council's website.