Manchester Council is to spend an additional £6m to support some of the most vulnerable residents and families across Manchester.
Since the onset of the cost-of-living crisis a huge amount of resource has been dedicated to mitigating some of its worst impacts.
Through this latest round of the Government-funded Household Support Fund (HSF) – £6.453m in total – the Council will continue to provide aid for those most at risk.
Half of the sum will be for the continuation of free school meals (FSM) for families, covering an estimated 44,000 children via a £15 weekly payment during the summer half term and a £55 payment during the summer holiday.
On top of this support the Council has continued to operate its Cost-of-Living advice line, a dedicated phone and online service for people who are struggling with a range of issues – from paying energy bills, to debt, to food poverty. In addition to the HSF funding, the Council itself directly invests an additional £3.5m to cover the services offered via the advice line.
