26,000 Bexley families to receive Warm Homes Discount Funds – up 16,000 Thanks to the Labour Government
New analysis from Bexley Labour reveals 26,000 households will receive the £150 Warm Homes Discount this winter, as the Labour Government almost doubles the scheme to cover more than 6 million families across the UK – now reaching 1 in five homes.
An additional 570,000 will receive the payment in London – meaning an estimated 16,000 more families in Bexley will receive support this year.
Bexley’s Labour Group of councillors in addition launched a cost-of-living information booklet to assist residents, businesses and voluntary groups in supporting residents who are seeking assistance due to the current cost of living crisis.
The booklet outlines information available from both national and local organisations to assist people in a range of ways regarding financial support, energy costs, food and groceries, childcare costs, housing costs, support from the local voluntary sector and within the work place.
Publishing the data, Labour’s Cllr. Stefano Borella, Leader of Bexley Labour Group said,
“Labour is helping local families get through the cost-of-living crisis. It might be the height of summer, but I know families are already looking nervously at winter fuel bills – but with this additional support 26,000 households in Bexley will now receive an extra £150 to help cover their costs. That is real help, which makes a real difference. And that is the sort of change Labour was elected to deliver.
“Through our mission for clean power, and the support announced today, this Labour government is putting money back in the pockets of working people. We know families are still struggling with the cost of living, and I know the fear that comes with not being able to afford your next bill.
I have no doubt that, like rolling out free school meals, breakfast clubs and childcare support, extending this £150 energy bills support to millions more families will make a real difference.“Millions of families will get vital support with the cost of living this coming winter, demonstrating this government’s commitment to put money in people’s pockets through our Plan for Change.”
Labour is also accelerating proposals to introduce a debt relief scheme, which would target unsustainable debt built up by households in Bexley during the energy crisis.
This would help to cut the costs of servicing bad debt, which currently contributes to higher bills for all bill payers.
This additional support for households complements the government’s mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower, delivering energy security and bringing down bills for good.
Bexley’s Labour Group of councillors in addition launched a cost-of-living information booklet to assist residents, businesses and voluntary groups in supporting residents who are seeking assistance due to the current cost of living crisis.
The booklet outlines information available from both national and local organisations to assist people in a range of ways regarding financial support, energy costs, food and groceries, childcare costs, housing costs, support from the local voluntary sector and within the work place.
The cost of living booklet can be downloaded from https://www.bexleylabour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/513/2023/01/Bexley-Cost-of-Living.pdf-small.pdf or hard copies can be made available for residents or voluntary groups.
Estimates are based on regional distributions of means-tested benefit recipients, from DWP’s data tool https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/ – extrapolated proportionately based on numbers of households by local authority.
Further information on the Warm Home Discount scheme can be found here: Warm Home Discount Scheme: Overview – GOV.UK
Ofgem’s consultation on establishing a debt relief scheme closed on Thursday 6 February. The consultation document can be found here:
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consultation/resetting-energy-debt-landscape-case-debt-