City Council sets £700,000 aside to feed children in Milton Keynes as cost of living emergency is declared

    MK City Council has set around £700,000 for supermarket vouchers to help support families in Milton Keynes.

    £700,000 has been set aside by Milton Keynes City Council for supermarket vouchers available to families to spend during the upcoming school holidays. 

    Families entitled to benefit-related free school meals, in receipt of Universal Credit or Working Tax Credit, or who are otherwise identified by schools as in particular need will receive a £15 supermarket credit per child per week for October half term holiday.

    This will then also be available during the Christmas holiday and February 2023 half term. 

    It is part of the help being announced in the City Council’s Winter Plan, which goes to Cabinet in November.

    The Winter Plan also includes extra funding for projects that provide food, offset or reduce energy bills, or give access to domestic essentials.

    It comes as Milton Keynes City Council has declared a 'cost of living emergency'. The Progressive Alliance, the Labour and Lib Dem coalition that runs Milton Keynes City Council announced the emergency at Full Council on Wednesday.

    The Council has stated that 20% of adult residents in the city cannot pay their bills.

    Cllr Jane Carr, Cabinet member for Inequalities and Child Poverty: "Inflation has risen to its highest point for 40 years and the cost-of-living crisis is hitting our poorest and most vulnerable residents the hardest, so this is where we’ve put our focus.

    "Our Winter Plan is geared up to help MK’s most vulnerable people, so they don’t have to choose between food, warmth and household basics. We’ll be sharing details of all our support initiatives on our website where you can also find our cost-of-living help factsheet.”

    Families need to take no action to apply and will receive the initial £15 supermarket voucher for the October half term via their child/children’s school. MK City Council is providing funding to the schools.

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