Local Authorities: Financial Difficulties Debate
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Baroness Thornhill
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Local Authorities: Financial Difficulties
Baroness Thornhill Excerpts(9 months, 2 weeks ago)
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Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)
I repeat that we have said that we will look at funding in the next Parliament. There is an 18% increase in budgets per dwelling in the most deprived areas, compared to the least deprived. Through the settlement, places such as Birmingham are getting a lot more money.
Baroness Thornhill (LD)
My Lords, councils have been receiving money from the Government’s household support fund, which has provided many thousands of families with essential sharp-end help with their bills and food, for example. However, it is due to end at the end of March. Will the Government seriously consider extending that effective and targeted support for at least another year? Have they taken into account the increase in child poverty they anticipate will result from the withdrawal of this much-needed, much-used fund?
Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)
The noble Baroness is right to say that the current household support fund runs out on 31 March. However, the Government continue to keep all existing programmes under review in the usual way.