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Welcome to the LGA's cost of living bulletin - featuring news and updates from across the sector on a wide range of topics around the cost of living, including what the LGA is doing to support councils and communities.
Cost of living hub
We are looking to refresh our cost of living hub to capture new practice as it emerges. If you would like to share an example of something you are working on email welfare@local.gov.uk.
Cost of Living Network
The LGA’s Cost of Living Network gives councils the opportunity to come together and hear what is being done locally and nationally to help mitigate the impacts of the cost of living on communities. Email welfare@local.gov.uk if you have a suggested webinar topic or if you’d would like to nominate yourself as a speaker.
Whole-systems approach to rising cost of living
The LGA’s project to capture case studies from councils that are taking a cross-cutting approach to addressing the cost of living is underway. Completed case studies will be shared in this bulletin and If you would like to participate or find out more, please email welfare@local.gov.uk.
Making the case for investing in homelessness prevention
LGA Annual Conference 2023 Innovation Zone
Each year, the LGA Annual Conference Innovation Zone showcases the outstanding, innovative work of councils across a range of service and policy areas. We are now accepting applications from councils, and organisations working with councils, to be part of the Innovation Zone at the LGA Annual Conference in Bournemouth, Tuesday 4 – Thursday 6 July 2023.
Kirklees Council: A cost of living action plan co-created by the public health and policy teams
Brighton and Hove City Council: Partnership action on the emergency food response
As part of their wider work around the cost of living, Brighton & Hove City Council is working with community organisations that share its goal of a healthy, sustainable and fair food system to reduce the impacts of rising food inflation on their residents. Read more about their partnership action.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council: Stronger Together Through Winter
Stronger Together Through Winter is based on the priorities and values of the council’s Stronger Together strategic vision and aims to bring together organisations from across the city to support vulnerable residents and communities.
Household Support Fund extended 2023/2024
In the Autumn Budget 2022 Government announced that the Household Support Fund (HSF) will be extended for an additional year from 01 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. The LGA’s Chairman Cllr James Jamieson met with Mims Davies MP, Minister for Social Mobility, Youth and Progression, earlier this month to discuss the upcoming HSF guidance and the future of local welfare funding. Read the LGA response to the Resolution Foundation report.
APPG on Ending the Need for Food Banks
Energy efficiency Parliamentary event
The LGA took part in an energy efficiency drop-in event in parliament, where we spoke to MPs about how improving energy efficiency must be central to the Government’s response to the cost of living crisis. This was echoed in our joint media statement , which called on government to take action and improve the energy efficiency of buildings to permanently bring down energy bills for households.
Autumn Budget 2022 cost of living measures
A number of cost of living measurements aimed at supporting low-income households were announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn Budget last year. As well as an extension of the HSF, the Benefit Cap will rise by 10.1 per cent in April and households that are claiming means-tested benefits, disability benefits, or are above pension age will receive further cost of living payments later this year.
The House of Commons Inquiry into Universal Credit and childcare
Government energy efficiency investment and awareness campaign
In December, government launched its ‘It All Adds Up’ energy saving campaign providing advice on quick and easy no cost actions, low-cost home improvements.
Energy Company Obligation Plus (ECO+) consultation
In the LGA’s response letter to the ECO+ Government consultation we welcomed the provision of new money and the expansion of the ECO to include households struggling to pay their bills and unavoidably wasting energy when living in poorly insulated properties that would not have received support through ECO4.
Discounted social energy tariff
Over 90 charities and organisations sent an open letter to the Chancellor this month calling for more targeted support with energy costs in the form of a social tariff for the energy market to help older and disabled households heat their homes. Energy watchdog Ofgem have simultaneously asked the Government to undertake a serious assessment of a social energy tariff.
DWP Universal Credit programme
Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Office-led Fairness Group has recently produced a new toolkit that aims to help frontline public sector staff identify and signpost support for economic abuse victims. The Economic Abuse Toolkit has been designed collaboratively with central and local government, the debt advice sector and the debt collection industry.
Money and Pensions Service
The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) are working towards developing a large-scale longitudinal study to build an in-depth understanding of the medium and long-term impacts of debt advice. Councils are invited to participate in cross-sector workshops, which will take place on the week commencing 20 February 2023. Please email Jair.Munoz-Bugarin@maps.org.uk to book a place or discuss the study.
London Councils
London Councils worked with a group of London Boroughs to design and trial an evaluation framework for Local Welfare Assistance, which was piloted over six months in 2022. This month a report with the findings was published, which includes evidence of the impact of Local Welfare Assistance.
The Enforcement Conduct Board
The Enforcement Conduct Board (ECB), a new independent oversight body for the enforcement industry (bailiffs) in England and Wales has appointed Chris Nichols as the organisation's first Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
The Trussell Trust
Independent Age - Longer-term pensioner poverty, a quantitative analysis of the Understanding Society survey
OK Rehab – how the cost of living crisis is impacting students
There a number of upcoming free non-LGA events which may be of interest:
For more information visit our Cost of living hub
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