Household support fund’s end would be ‘devastating’, charities say: ‘We’re planning for the worst’
As MPs are set to debate the household support fund in parliament, campaigners share their fears about its end.
Marge is an elderly woman who just got out of hospital. She had been in there for quite some time, so she was referred to a crisis telephone service which helps people find the support they need. That was funded by the household support fund.
Marge only had one packet of biscuits and a ready meal in her kitchen. She is disabled, housebound and had no family near her. She immediately got an emergency food shop delivered to her door, funded by the household support fund.
Marge, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, was referred to a community service that provides nutritious meals for two months, funded by the household support fund. She got a referral to advice teams to help her with benefits and energy bills, also funded by the household support fund.
Helen Starr-Keddle, the deputy director of charity Food Matters, shared Marge’s story at a summit on Tuesday (30 January) discussing the future of crisis support and the importance of the household support fund, which is currently set to end in March 2024.
“What is going to happen to people like Marge when that vital safety net is taken away?” Starr-Keddle asks. “Where are they going to turn for help? Are they going to get any help?”