The Covid Winter Grant scheme has been announced to help support vulnerable children and families during the winter months.

The scheme will support those most in need across England with the cost of food, energy and water bills and other associated costs.

The council is to administer the scheme and provide direct assistance to vulnerable households and families with children particularly affected by the pandemic.

This financial support will start early December with spend continuing until end of March 2021. The funding will be used as follows:-
1. To purchase local supermarket vouchers for households in England where residents include:-
a. Pupils in receipt of free of school meals
b. Pre-school children in receipt of pupil premium
c. Disadvantage students in college settings
This is to cover the cost of food for the two week Christmas holiday period and to provide additional funding to enable household funds to be redirected to pay utility bills. The value of the supermarket voucher will be £75.
2. After this initial spend has been incurred remaining funds will be used after the Christmas holiday period to:-
a. Provide additional support to the recipients identified in point 1 where it is identified that they are struggling to fund new year household utility costs
b. Provide grants to other county charity organisations where they provide a food bank service, plus grants to organisations that provide meals and support to include the older generation and former members of the armed services.