Ealing is among 12 London boroughs set to benefit from a new City Hall initiative aimed at helping low-income families access financial support they are entitled to but are not currently receiving.
The Family Financial Resilience Partnership is a £2.2m programme that will deliver free, independent advice through Best Start Family Hubs and Children’s Centres in 12 boroughs, working with London Citizens Advice and the London Legal Support Trust. It will support families with children on issues including benefits, housing, childcare, disability, employment and immigration, and is expected to help more than 17,500 families claim up to £8m in unclaimed support in its first year.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said the funding would “put more money back into household budgets” and help parents and carers access support they are entitled to.
Welcoming the launch, Bassam Mahfouz, the London Assembly member for Ealing and Hillingdon, said: “I am delighted that Ealing is confirmed as one of the twelve London boroughs participating in the Mayor’s new scheme helping low-income families secure financial support.
“Having worked for many years in the advice and advocacy sector, I know the critical difference support that this will fund makes to families and households. This Mayoral funding, alongside the phenomenal work of charities, the council and other advice agencies will help residents through the cost-of-living crisis and make headway in tackling child poverty.
“With more than £4 billion in benefits unclaimed across London, this important scheme will get us one step closer to ensuring local families are making full use of support offered by the government.”
City Hall cited figures showing 35% of children in London — about 700,000 — are living in poverty after housing costs, and said the partnership builds on earlier income maximisation campaigns that have helped more than 130,000 Londoners claim more than £94m in support over the past three years.
