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Families in Preston are to be asked to show how their benefits are capped at present to qualify for a one-off payment.
Preston City Council has announced details of how households are able to access the financial support.
Introduced by the council’s Labour administration they say payments, which can be worth up to £400 in some cases, are to be made on a ‘first-come, first-served basis’. It is part of a number of ‘cost of living’ measures being brought in by the city council.
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A total of £100,000 has been set aside so depending on the payment levels 250 households may be helped if the maximum payment is made or 2,000 households if the minimum payment is made.
Leader of the city council councillor Matthew Brown said: “Preston City Council is taking the initiative with the introduction of cost-of-living targeted support measures, designed to give families across the city an important uplift during the most challenging months of the year.
“No family in Preston should face the choice between keeping the heating on and putting food on the table. This new support payment is one of several steps we are taking to ease that pressure and ensure families across Preston feel supported through the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.”
The city’s Labour group has regularly spoken out against the Labour government’s proposed welfare sanctions – which were scrapped after a backbench revolt – and called for the scrapping of the two-child benefit cap which national media reports suggest is imminent in the Chancellor’s budget speech at the end of November.
What are the payment rates?
There’s four bands for families with children affected by the current two-child benefit cap.
- Band 1: Those losing up to £50-a-week can receive £50
- Band 2: Those losing between £50 and £100-a-week can receive £100
- Band 3: Those losing between £100 and £200-a-week can receive £300
- Band 4: Those losing over £200-a-week can receive £400
All payments are one-off and are to be made before March next year.
Who qualifies?
You must reside in the Preston area and only one application per household is being accepted.
You need to provide name, address, a benefit statement showing how many children are affected by the benefit cap and a copy of the latest award notice which shows how much the household is capped. The city council say ‘this must clearly show the details of your reduction’.
The scheme is operating until 31 March 2026 or until all the funding set aside is exhausted.
How do you apply?
Applications are via the Cost of Living support section of the city council website.
Those applying are being urged to undertake the council’s benefits calculator first before applying to check what other additional financial support they may be entitled to.
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