Decentralised emergency funding leaves individuals without assistance - Turn2us
Simon Hopkins, Chief Executive, responds to a report from the Commons Work and Pensions Committee on distribution of emergency grants for food, heating and other essentials.
The ability for individuals to access emergency funding is an important way of ensuring that an unexpected event doesn’t lead to long term financial difficulty. Since the administration of emergency funding has been decentralised clearly many have been left unaware, or in some cases unable, to access this vital assistance. On top of that our own research carried out last year, as part of our Benefits Awareness Month campaign, revealed that only a third of those struggling with a sudden change in circumstances had checked to see what support might be available in the form of benefits and other assistance.
I hope that these findings help ensure that more is done to combat the post-code lottery in the provision of emergency assistance, often it is those that are most in need who find it hardest to know where to turn. Anyone looking for more information about applying for emergency assistance in England, or in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland through their own central schemes, should visit https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Other-help/Emergency-Assistance.
