£11.8m to be spent on Cost of Living Support Scheme in Caerphilly County Borough

The Welsh Government is allocating £11.8 million to Caerphilly County Borough to help with the cost of living crisis – here’s how the council is going to spend it.

The main part of the funding must be spent on giving every household that is entitled to a council tax exemption, or in a Band A to D property, £150 to help pay their bills.

This means 67,676 households in Caerphilly County Borough will receive £150. But, the household must have lived at the Band A to D property on or before February 15, 2022, to receive the grant.

It is part of the Welsh Government Cost of Living Support Scheme, that was unanimously approved by Caerphilly’s Cabinet at a meeting held on Wednesday, April 13.

The first part is estimated to cost £10,151,400, and the council can spend the remaining £1,669,964 at its discretion.

The council has decided all households in Band E and F properties will receive £100 – this will affect 8,458 properties in the borough.

Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMO) or hostels that are responsible for their energy bills will receive £150 each. There are an estimated 330 HMO and/or hostel households in the borough, therefore it will cost £49,500.

The council will also spend £50,000 on fuel vouchers which can be used by residents who are in fuel poverty.

A crisis fund of £50,000 will also be created to aid residents who do not necessarily meet the criteria above, but are in need. An example the council has used is; a resident leaving employment that has to wait five weeks before a Universal Credit payment is made.

Funding will also go to the Department for Work and Pensions for Discretionary Housing Payments (£397,839), and the Caerphilly Cares Community Engagement and Wellbeing Projects (£30,000).

The council has said it uses the Discretionary Housing Payments to help people who are struggling with housing costs and prevent people becoming homeless.

Three additional members of staff will be added to the council’s Caerphilly Cares team for 12 months, with the remainder of the funding (£131,325).

They will be Regeneration Support Officers who will help to meet the demand of those in the community needing economic, health and social help.

How the payments to households will be made

The main scheme will begin this month, although with thousands of payments to be made, Caerphilly County Borough Council has admitted there may be a wait of several months.

Anyone who pays their council tax through direct debit will get the payment automatically put into their account without the need to register. All other eligible council taxpayers will need to register through the council’s website.

However, for those without access to the internet, and who don’t pay their council tax via direct debit, the council is still waiting for guidance on how to make the payment. The council has said that once it has further details they will be publicised.