
Mayor steps up support for charities and communities on the front-line of the cost of living crisis
Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin has launched the second round of her Cost of Living Emergency Fund.
Households and businesses hardest hit by the cost-of-living crisis will benefit from additional support from West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin, as a package of measures were agreed today (21 October).
21 October 2022
Households and businesses hardest hit by the cost-of-living crisis will benefit from additional support from West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin, as a package of measures were agreed today (21 October).
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority this afternoon approved a multimillion-pound plan to support businesses and our most vulnerable households.
The package of measures is designed to provide immediate relief for people and businesses in crisis, prevent more people from falling further into economic hardship and increase the region’s resilience to future economic shocks such as energy price hikes. These will be launched as quickly as possible over the coming weeks and months.
We are taking urgent, direct action to help people and businesses across West Yorkshire with the cost-of-living crisis.
Mayor of West Yorkshire
"We are taking urgent, direct action to help people and businesses across West Yorkshire with the cost-of-living crisis.
"After a decade of austerity, it is a scandal that government inaction is still pushing people into poverty and driving up the use of food banks in a country that has the sixth biggest economy in the world.
"And in the wake of yet another Prime Ministerial resignation, we don’t have time to wait for the outcome of another Tory leadership race. Therefore, as local leaders we must therefore step in and support these vital services that are helping keep our most vulnerable people warm and fed this winter.
"In addition, we will support small and medium sized businesses that have been hit hard by the energy crisis to keep their costs down so that they can protect jobs and stay afloat during this difficult time."
The Mayor’s Cost of Living Emergency Fund will provide £3 million over the next 18 months to help the most vulnerable by addressing issues like food insecurity, fuel poverty and mental health. The support it funds will be delivered through local charities and voluntary organisations that are providing important services on the frontline, such as food banks, warm places and debt advice. This will be delivered in partnership with local authorities and the funding will keep these important services afloat during the forthcoming winter and up until 2024.
Further action to support businesses will see an Emergency Grant scheme rolled out to provide short-term, high-impact interventions to help businesses with their energy costs. Further details will be published shortly, but this could include providing 50% discounts towards new boilers, better insulation or more energy efficient lighting.
To help people in rented social housing, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority is doubling its investment in a retrofit project to improve energy efficiency targeting 1,700 additional households, on top of the 1,300 already benefitting. This will help those in social housing to reduce bills and help manage strained budgets.
In addition, an advisory scheme to help small and medium sized business to reduce their bills by being more energy efficient and sustainable will be extended later this year, with a further £10.6 million investment to support hundreds of businesses including those in the retail and hospitality sectors.
This action being announced today, follows the introduction of the Mayor’s Fares in September which brought down the cost of a single bus ticket down across West Yorkshire to a maximum of £2 and £4.50 for a day ticket.
Other action already being taken includes helping people to get back into work or get more secure, better paid jobs through a Skills Connect programme and Employment Hubs.
Visit our cost of living support webpage for more information on the individual schemes and other important action being taken across West Yorkshire by local authorities in Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield.
Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin has launched the second round of her Cost of Living Emergency Fund.
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