Stephen urges the Government to extend the Household Support Fund

Today, 31 January, Stephen led a debate in Parliament on the Household Support Fund (HSF), which has given councils over £2 billion to invest in crisis support. Stephen urged the Government to extend the Household Support Fund past March, when it is scheduled to end. The HSF has invested over £2 billion in crisis support by councils since October 2021. Research by End Furniture Poverty shows that 62% of local crisis support by councils came from the HSF in 2022/23. It is due to end in March, and the Government has not committed to extending it In Newham, the Council used the Fund to give Holiday Food vouchers to 19,000 school children and Hardship payments to over 30,000 households to help them with rising rent and energy prices. Newham Council received over £13 million from the HSF since 2021. Stephen led a debate in Parliament on the Household Support Fund today, 31 January. He urged the Government to extend the HSF and argued for a long-term plan to fund crisis support by local councils.