Responding to the Westminster Hall Debate on the Household Support Fund, Antonia Jennings, CEO of Centre for London, said:

“London is still in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis; schemes for emergency short-term help such as the Household Support Fund are vital to prevent Londoners falling deeper into poverty due to the cost of basic amenities.

Our London Intelligence data, in partnerships with Savanta, from September of 2023 showed:

• 29% of Londoners found food unaffordable.
• Half of Londoners stated their energy bills were unaffordable.
• 1 in 4 Londoners say they would be unable to meet an unexpected expense of £500.

These stark numbers make for sombre reading. They show millions are worrying about paying for essential goods and services. With so many struggling to make ends meet, emergency support can tip the balance for the many teetering on the poverty line.

The Household Support Fund is a vital safety net, used by councils in London to provide emergency support for low-income households ranging from energy bills and food for children over the school holidays to replacing crucial household appliances. It further finances professional and voluntary services providing advice on larger financial stresses such as housing and employment.

Today, there is set to be a Westminster Hall Debate on whether the Government will continue the Household Support Fund. As London Councils have made clear in their recent statement, budgetary issues mean there is no money to fund these schemes by London Borough councils.

Until we can implement long term strategies to end the need for short-term support, these services are essential to support the most marginalised of Londoners facing increasingly high levels of poverty. Without it, many families will be left without avenues for advice and emergency support, potentially forcing desperate financial decisions to be taken between eating, heating, and household costs.”