Southend Council maintains a lifeline fund for residents

Southend Council’s cabinet has agreed to continue the Essential Living Fund (ELF) up to March 2019 by using a  £1.4m reserve that has been built up in anticipation of Government funding stopping in April 2015.

So far 1,110 residents have been helped by the fund which will continue to set aside £350,000 a year until 2019.

The award-winning ELF was devised when the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) devolved its ‘Social Fund’ system to local councils, but central funding is likely to stop next year.

The ELF provides a range of non-cash, grant based support to low income and vulnerable members of the local community including:

• Supermarket food vouchers for families

• Local businesses providing white goods

• All pay cards for fuel top ups

• Furniture and household furnishing provided by local charities

• Dedicated phone line for people to make prompt claims in emergencies and an online claim form for non-emergencies

 Ian Gilbert, councillor responsible for community development, said: “The Government has put all local authorities in a very difficult position, by giving us all of the responsibility for this, but no funding beyond March 2015.

“This fund provides a safety net for some of our poorest and most vulnerable members of society or people that are perhaps experiencing unexpected hardship and need crisis support. It should not be underestimated the impact this fund had and it was absolutely vital to find a way to keep it going, so I am delighted that we have managed to do that."

Mr Gilbert added: "Officers have built up an award winning scheme also used by Thurrock and Essex councils and it is a scheme that has evolved over the last year to also include digital training to help residents claim online and meet Job Centre commitments, free cookery courses and travel cost for people fleeing domestic violence.

"I am delighted that we have been able to do the right thing and commit funding for this until at least 2019.”