Town hall boosts cost-of-living fund to make it ‘biggest’ in capital

By Charlotte Lillywhite, Local Democracy Reporter

A council will double the cash it spends helping residents with the cost-of-living crisis in the capital’s “biggest” scheme.

Wandsworth council has added another £5million to the scheme’s budget, bringing the total to £10m, after revealing there is “no sign of things improving any time soon”.

It means the Labour-run council will extend its package of support to Wandsworth residents battling rising prices, including providing free school uniforms, school meals and swimming and gym memberships for lower-income families.

The Wandsworth discretionary social fund will also be expanded to support locals with cash payments, vouchers and household purchases.

Council leader Simon Hogg said the authority’s response was the “capital’s biggest” and that it can afford to expand the scheme while keeping council tax low due to “careful long-term budgeting”.

The average council tax paid by a band D household in most of the borough for the 2023/24 financial year is £914.14.

The measures also include providing council tenants with more energy-efficient and water-saving devices, securing low-cost internet connections for families and offering cost-of-living payments totalling £130 to pensioners who receive council tax reduction.

Councillor Hogg said: “We know families are struggling to pay for basics like fuel and food and there’s no sign of things improving anytime soon.

“That’s why we’re putting another £5m into our cost-of-living reserve fund. We’ve also ringfenced more money to help refugees and the homeless.

“We’re funding free gym and swim and free school uniforms for low-income families. And over the winter we ran warm spaces to provide food and shelter, gave more funding to community and voluntary groups, supported residents to cut their energy costs and set up a cost-of-living hub.

“Now, using the insights of the Wandsworth cost-of-living commission, we will look at longer-term action we and the community as a whole can take to reduce the effects of the crisis in the future.

“These changes make Wandsworth fairer and more compassionate. We understand the pressures our residents are facing, and I guarantee we will do all we can to help.”

(Picture: PA)