New grants to help keep you warm this winter

Support is on offer for people who need help with their heating bills throughout the winter.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has recently received a government grant – the Covid Winter Grant Scheme – to support families and children and other vulnerable adults through the winter period to access food, support with utility bills and other essentials to help keep people warm and fed.

The programme will run until 31^st March and is primarily for families with children under 19 as of 31^st March 2021 who may not meet the threshold for benefits but have been affected directly by the pandemic through job losses, furlough, taking time off work unpaid to care for children who are isolating etc, and for those who are eligible for free school meals, healthy start vouchers, young people not in education or training.  Some support for other vulnerable adults is also available where appropriate.

Support with utility bills – we have three local organisations supporting residents who may be struggling to pay fuel and water bills over winter.  United Utilities is also partnering with us to help the most vulnerable with their water bills.

Support with essential items – support is available to replace broken washers, cookers, fridges and freezers, for boiler servicing and repairs and where families are struggling to afford essential toiletries, sanitary products, warm clothing and blankets.

The Council is working with Blackburn Foodbank, Darwen Food Larder, Care Network, BwD Healthy Living, Rummage Rescuers, Jubilee Tower Credit Union, United Utilities, Community Business Partners, Community Centres in BwD, Youth Action, Benefit Mankind, South East Blackburn Community Food Club and THOMAS.

To see if you qualify for support, you need to contact the Blackburn with Darwen Help Hub which is the central point of contact for the Winter Grant Scheme.

People can self-refer by telephoning the Help Hub on (01254) 588111 between 9am – 5pm or anytime via the online form if you prefer.

Councillor Julie Gunn, Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education, said:

This scheme is there to help struggling families and vulnerable people wherever we can, and it is really important to get the help they need, especially during this cold winter where extra support for heating and bills may be needed.

This has been a bigger pressure for many over the last few months, especially as more families and children have been at home due to home schooling and working, which means many heating bills have been higher than usual. I would urge anyone who thinks they might be eligible should contact our Help Hub and see what could be available to them.”