The COVID Winter Fund scheme has been extended to the 16th April.

The COVID Winter Grant Fund was made available to local authorities and dis­trict councils to support families experiencing financial hardship over the 2020-21 winter.

Under this fund, Early Help is able to provide a grant per family to sup­port:

  • Buying food, energy and water bills for household purposes (drinking, washing, cooking, central heating, sanitary purposes) and sewerage
  • With other essentials clearly linking to the activities above (sanitary products, warm clothing, soap, blankets, boiler ser­vice/ repair, purchase and fitting of white goods)

If you are working with families that are experiencing financial hardship, then please contact Early Help so that they receive this and other financial support to improve their situation. Requests for funding linked to payment of rent or oth­er housing costs are not included under this grant but may be supported through Early Help under other offers of support. A family’s hardship does not need to be COVID related or recently acquired, but repeat requests for help may be best supported through Early Help partners  to sustainably improve the family’s financial situation.

The criteria set by Early Help is as follows;

  • You are a family (at least 2 people where at least 1 person is ei­ther pre-birth or up to 18 years old)
  • You are experiencing financial hardship linked to or independent of COVID (e.g. unemployed, furloughed, being made redundant)
  • You need financial help associated with keeping your family warm and fed
  • You need financial help associated with purchasing essential items

N.B: In the event that the full grant you are applying for is to support with fuel/ utilities—after approval of your application, we request that your organisation provides the funding directly to the family from your organisations own re­sources and this amount will then be re-imbursed to you by Early Help.

You can contact Early Help here:
Northern Devon: Earlyhelpnorthsecure-mailbox@devon.gov.uk