New changes to the £10m Tenancy Hardship Grant mean that anyone facing arrears due to Covid-19 from the start of the pandemic up until December 2021 can apply for support.
Minister for Climate Change Julie James is urging anyone who has fallen behind on paying rent because of the pandemic to contact their local authority to find out if they can receive financial help to avoid eviction.
The call is in a bid to keep people in their homes and close to their social networks to avoid the negative impact that homelessness can have on physical, mental and social wellbeing.
Minister for Climate Change Julie James said: ‘I am urging anyone who is facing eviction or who has fallen behind on their rent because of the pandemic to contact their local authority today to find out what help is available to them.
‘Our £10m Tenancy Hardship Grant will help prevent eviction and support tenants to remain in their homes. The impact of being made homeless on people and families is huge – including support networks being lost, children having to move school, and families’ mental health and well-being suffering. We want to do all we can to help avoid that situation.
‘The grant should provide significant cost savings to each local authority in preventing homelessness and supporting people to remain in their homes and maintain their tenancies.’
Ruth Power, CEO of Shelter Cymru added: ‘I am urging anyone who is facing eviction or who has fallen behind on their rent because of the pandemic to contact their local authority today to find out what help is available to them.
‘Our £10m Tenancy Hardship Grant will help prevent eviction and support tenants to remain in their homes. The impact of being made homeless on people and families is huge – including support networks being lost, children having to move school, and families’ mental health and well-being suffering. We want to do all we can to help avoid that situation.
‘The grant should provide significant cost savings to each local authority in preventing homelessness and supporting people to remain in their homes and maintain their tenancies.’
In related news, low-income households that have been struggling due to the impact of the pandemic will benefit from a £65m support package, announced by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
Photo by paul silvan
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