Richmond Council has allocated nearly £4.5 million to support those most affected by rising costs.

Using the Low Income Family Tracker (LIFT) data platform, the Council continues to run targeted campaigns to increase awareness and take up of benefits and other entitlements, ensuring help reaches the households who need it most. 

Councillor Gareth Roberts, leader of Richmond Council, said: "No one in Richmond should feel they have to face the effects of rising costs alone.

"We are investing in practical, targeted support that makes a real difference – from warm, welcoming community spaces to energy saving home visits, crisis grants and help for families during the school holidays."

Working closely with the borough's voluntary and community sector, the Council has expanded its network of warm, welcoming Community Spaces. As of last month, the online directory lists 96 locations, including:

• 39 active Community Spaces, and
• 57 venues offering food support, financial advice, disability services, housing assistance, and children and family services

This winter saw a major expansion of youth provision, with an additional 50 hours of youth worker capacity each week across the borough's five permanent youth centres.

The funding supports extended opening hours, including weekends and more one-to-one support for vulnerable young people. Sessions include cooking on a budget, mental wellbeing workshops, and targeted support programmes.

More than 4,600 children have also been supported with food vouchers during the school holidays. The borough's libraries are also hosting 'Winter Warmer' Spaces sessions until the end of the month, offering free hot drinks and community activities.

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Richmond Council's Warm Home Packs continue to be one of the most popular winter offers, with all 400 packs allocated by early December.

The council's Fuel Grant Scheme has once again proven to be a vital lifeline for residents facing rising energy costs, delivering targeted financial support to help 1337 households stay warm through the winter months with grants of up to £170.

Councillor Roberts added: "Our approach is simple: get the right support to the right people at the right time. We know many residents are still under immense pressure and it's incredibly important that we are still supporting households dealing with significant financial challenges."

The Council continues to innovate in targeting support, including a partnership with Thames Water and Policy in Practice that has auto enrolled 531 households onto social water tariffs delivering £211,338 in combined annual savings.

Teddington residents can visit the Richmond Cost of Living Hub for the latest information on what support is available nationally and locally, as well as details of the borough's network of Community Spaces and free support calculator

They can also sign up to receive cost of living support updates straight to their inbox.