Antrim and Newtownabbey: 20,000 residents supported by hardship fund
Almost 20,000 residents of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough have been supported by a hardship fund, the council’s Community Development Committee has been told.
A report presented to councillors at a recent meeting said 2,070 households have received help with food and 604 have received aid with fuel costs.
Three hundred and thirty two young families have been supported by “baby banks”. Six “community fridges” have been established in the borough.
It also noted the council’s hardship fund has been able to support 82 community and voluntary groups which offer support with food and fuel costs to those who are experiencing financial difficulties.
The council was awarded £306,432 in funding by the Department for Communities (DfC) for the hardship scheme in the 2023/24 financial year. DfC has advised this funding is non recurrent and may not be available in future years.
Funding was delivered locally through direct awards to established community partners delivering food relief and to constituted community groups which can contribute to providing additional food relief.
The report said: “The 2023/24 Hardship Scheme has extensively supported individuals and families experiencing both food and fuel poverty in the borough, whilst helping to support and sustain projects and organisations which offer support with food and fuel to those who are experiencing financial difficulties including food and fuel distress.”
Last month, Antrim Foodbank reported 5,967 emergency food parcels were provided to people facing hardship across Antrim in the last year with 2,817 of these going to children, an eight per cent increase in the number of emergency food parcels since last year.
Antrim Foodbank said that the levels of need were “particularly acute” in January, which was the busiest month with 716 emergency food parcels distributed by staff and volunteers. Fionnuala O’Donnell, manager of Antrim Foodbank, said online: “The past 12 months have continued to be challenging for those in our community needing to come to our foodbank for emergency food. Seventy-eight per cent of those attending are on benefits which highlights that the welfare system does not provide enough income for people to afford the essentials.
“We have seen an increase of 26 per cent of those suffering with the ongoing impact of existing mental or physical health conditions.”
A typical emergency food parcel consists of items such as cereal, tinned fruit and vegetables, canned meat and fish, tea, coffee, biscuits, UHT milk, and pasta and rice.
Antrim Foodbank has also stated it is having to purchase “more and more stock as donations are no longer meeting local need”.
“Any donation is gratefully received and can be dropped off at the foodbank and supermarket collection points,” it has also been stated.
Antrim Foodbank is part of the Trussell Trust’s network, which reports record levels of need in the last 12 months.
Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter