A quick round-up of projects and schemes that have been given the go-ahead, or awarded funding lately including workspace centres in Penzance, Liskeard and Hayle, renewables generation and community centre expansion near Truro, and 14 small green schemes across Cornwall.
Cornwall Council is asking the VCSE sector to help identify people who could apply for their Covid Winter Grant, to support those in poverty. Find out how, and who, here. Act Now!
More accommodation is being offered for rough-sleepers, and the ban on evictions has been extended to mid February – housing support info also here.
Consultations to take part in – Cornwall Fire Service, Disability and Employment, availability of home abortions, and Housing – shared ownership plans and carbon monoxide & smoke alarms.
This winter will be even more difficult for those in fuel poverty. Covid-19 is squeezing household finances further and compelling people to spend more time in their homes #FuelPovertyAwarenessDay #WarmSafeHomes
Could your organisation benefit from donated toiletries? If so, find out more here about Toiletries Amnesty, an organisation linking support organisations with those who have toiletries to donate.
Housing and homelessness – Winter Wellbeing and Fuel Poverty, Council housing demand rising, and people in rent arears increasing and information around street homelessness, to protect people from both COVID-19 and the cold this winter.
Benefits update – Lockdown changes, Winter fuel payments and Cold weather payments, plus changes to ESA, UC for self-employed people, and a ruling against housing benefit discrimination by landlords.
Cornwall Council’s consultations – the Langarth Garden Village, near Truro, Adult Social Care charging policy, and the Council’s budget. Make sure the voice of the sector, and the disadvantaged, is heard.
News stories around poverty, including the Job Support Scheme, fuel poverty, free school meals and the tackling the cashless economy.
Cornwall Council has issued advice around council tax debt and rent arrears for households in financial difficulty. Make sure you know where to signpost people for help.
Have your say on two important consultations – Cornwall Council’s draft budget for 2021/22, and the Government’s housing proposals for Cornwall. Act now – these will impact us all.
The Government has announced that refused asylum seekers will be receiving notices to leave the UK within 21 days, from this week.
Emergency housing provision for homeless people in Cornwall has been made in hotels and holiday parks, but also bunkabins. Find out what a bunkabin is here!
Tesco Mobile have joined forces with Crisis to help tackle digital exclusion amongst homeless people
Funding with short deadlines for community led organisations, challenging discrimination, fighting poverty and promoting human rights, Heritage organisations, and Arts for mental health. Plus health charities and energy advice. Plus news around SME grants, and a funding call for start-up business training/support.
Ofgem announces that outstanding debt on energy bills can now be chased by energy companies. Council tax debt is still on hold in Cornwall, for the moment.
New funding – for COVID-19-related welfare support (with short deadlines), and others around welfare, support for vulnerable groups, and heritage preservation. Plus Future for Nature competition.
Two weeks after going live, the emergency accommodation portal for Care Workers, www.cornwallhugs.org, has received offers of property up and down the county with well over 100 units registered so far.
Digital inclusion – information for those trying to help people without the means, skills or equipment to access the internet.