Published Thursday 11 August 2022 at 16:39
Blackburn with Darwen’s Health and Wellbeing Board held a special meeting to discuss further ways to support residents through the ongoing cost of living crisis.
The board held a special meeting to bring together partners and voluntary organisations to discuss ways that they can further support residents in need as the cost of living crisis looks set to get worse this Autumn and Winter.
The ongoing cost of living crisis has become the main issue facing many households across the country – and Blackburn with Darwen – this year.
Households are struggling with rising energy bills, the price of food and petrol prices, and we know that things are set to get worse in the second half of the year with inflation rising even further, the energy price cap being lifted higher, and fuel costs showing no signs of going down as we head into Autumn and the return of colder weather.
During the summer holidays many parents and carers are struggling to meet the costs of holiday childcare and the extra food and energy costs that come with children being out of school for six weeks and the prospect of buying new uniform before children return to school.
Watch board members talk about the support here:
The aims of the Board are:
- to provide local accountability for improved health and wellbeing outcomes for residents in Blackburn with Darwen
- to promote integration and partnership working between the NHS, social care, public health and other local services
The Household Support Scheme, which has been further extended by the Government to run past September through until March 2023, is available for anyone eligible to apply for support with fuel costs, boiler servicing and repairs, food and other essentials to keep warm and fed. BwD Council and partners have worked quickly and closely to channel this funding to people who are eligible.
Councillor Damian Talbot, Health and Wellbeing Board Chair and Executive Member for Public Health, Prevention and Wellbeing, said:
I’m proud of the work we’ve done so far supporting the Council and partners but the situation is worse than at any point during the pandemic. “Times are tough for everyone but it is residents on the lowest incomes who are feeling the effects of rising prices the most and struggling to make ends meet.
We are all doing what we can but we need further plans from the Government to deal with this, the fall in standards of living is the biggest crisis in a generation and it is only going to get worse as we move into the Autumn and see energy prices rise even more.
The Health and Wellbeing Board is helping to support our residents now, but is also about giving people the tools to support themselves and their families in the long term. We are determined to tackle the challenges facing us during these difficult times.”
There are a range of organisations and partner agencies in Blackburn with Darwen and the local area which can help with the current cost of living situation:
BwD Help Hub: www.blackburn.gov.uk/helphub
Household Support Scheme information and applications form Household Support Scheme | Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
Money Advice and Support
https://england.shelter.org.uk/get_help/local_services/blackburn
https://blackburn.foodbank.org.uk/the-oaks-money-advice-centre/https://lancashirewomen.org/get-support/money-advice
| Help with Fuel Costs and Energy Efficiency |
| https://www.simpleenergyadvice.org.uk/grants |
| http://www.bwdhl.org/ info@bwdhl.org.uk 01254 292650 |
| Support to Access Food |
| Blackburn Foodbank | Helping Local People in Crisis |
| Home | Darwen Food Larder
Community – Community and Business Partners (cbpartners.org) Food Box Scheme |
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Employability and Careers Support
| https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/Pages/Home.aspx | ||
| mpt@blackburn.gov.uk | ||
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| www.lancsvp.org.uk | ||
| https://lancashirewomen.org/get-support/training-employability |
Filed under : Cost of Living Crisis | Councillor | Damian Talbot | Health and Wellbeing Board | help | support