Financial support for foster carers and people in receipt of pension credit – Coventry City Council
The Council is getting in touch with thousands of people and households in Coventry by letter to target payments to them as part of a government scheme.
The Department for Works and Pensions (DWP) has given Coventry City Council funding under the Household Support Fund to provide Coventry residents with extra support towards increasing living costs.
A one-off cash payment of £150 is being provided, and groups being contacted include foster carers and care leavers and people on pension credit.
The approach is in recognition of the costs of energy increases being seen nationally. The one-off cash payment through the Household Support Fund is one of the ways the Council and other agencies are trying to ease the cost of living pressures that people face.
Over the past few months, many Coventry foster carers have raised the impact that recent cost of living rises have had on their ability to look after children in the way they are used to doing.
Councillor Pat Seaman Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said that whilst foster carers are not alone in experiencing the impact of the cost of living, she recognised that it was important to acknowledge that this was something to take action on without delay.
Cllr Seaman said: “We really appreciate the work of foster carers and what they do to improve the lives of children and young people, and this is just a part of a wider effort to, help people who are facing the most difficulties with the increasing costs of living, to look at how they can urgently be supported.
“We identified and are writing to foster carers and care leavers with properties and other groups like adopters and special guardians. We are trying to make the process of providing a one-off payment very simple.
“We want people to get in touch with us if they are not sure the letter is genuine – as I understand that people are also wary of any scam letters.”
People on pension credit will also receive £150 one-off payments and will receive a letter from the Council explaining how to collect the payment from their local post office.
Cllr Richard Brown, Cabinet Member for Finance added: “We need to look at signposting people to all the support that is available to help increase household income wherever possible.
“It’s about all agencies playing a part.”
Anyone who receives the letter from the Council, who may be worried that it is a scam, can confirm its authenticity by calling Coventry City Council on 08085 834333, or by checking our website: www.coventry.gov.uk/costofliving