Council pledge £1million to help tackle cost of living crisis in Aberdeen

Aberdeen City Council is to put £1million towards helping to tackle the cost of living crisis across the city.

In total, £250,000 will be used for food provisions, while £50,000 is being provided for fuel vouchers as part of a range of actions.

They are aimed at supporting residents struggling the most with the challenges of poverty and inequality over the next year.

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The actions, which value £1million, will be allocated in two stages, with over £530,000 being distributed now and the remaining balance to be allocated later in the year.

The full range of actions in stage one includes £250,000 to buy food and pay for weekly shops, through food charity CFINE, and £50,000 to pay for fuel vouchers and energy advice through social enterprise SCARF

A further £100,000 has been allocated for housing support, with £20,000 going towards top-up school clothing vouchers for around 5,000 pupils.

£20,000 is being used for telecare: technology to support vulnerable people in their homes, with the same amount allocated to support putting power of attorneys in place for vulnerable people.

Finally, £60,000 is being issued for childcare costs through ABZ works, while £20,000 is to be spent on a promotional campaign, through SHMU, to highlight the lived experience of those affected by poverty.

Funding was allocated following engagement with external advisers, the Council’s Strategy Board, the Health and Social Care Partnership, our employability team, ACVO and Community Planning Aberdeen’s Anti-Poverty Outcome Improvement Group.

The decision to use the cash for the cost of living challenges was reached during a meeting of full council on Wednesday.