Responding to the Government today announcing a final extension
of its Covid Local Support Grant, which will make a further £160
million available to families in England until the end of
September, Cllr , Chair of the
Local Government Association’s Resources Board, said:
“Local leaders are led by the needs of their
residents and councils have demonstrated through the pandemic
that they are best placed to deliver services at pace for their
local communities, if empowered and resourced to do
so.
“This latest continuation of funding will help
councils to provide much-needed support to low income households
at risk of poverty and financial hardship, including being able
to provide further targeted help to families entitled to Free
School Meals during the summer holiday period. Councils can now
plan ahead into the early autumn.
“As we move into recovery councils would like to be
able to place greater emphasis on promoting resilience and
developing opportunities for their more deprived households. To
ensure that we are able to best address the underlying drivers of
disadvantage and break cycles of poverty in the longer term,
there is a need for sustainable, preventative financial advice
and support that will strengthen households’ capability and
wellbeing and prevent crises from recurring.
“This is why the LGA is working with government and
partners to identify how best to enable councils to provide more
long-term integrated, preventative support to low-income
households in the forthcoming Spending Review.”
