Council leaders across Kent are pressing the government to continue to fund a scheme that offers crucial support to those struggling with their household bills.

In an open letter to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, local authority bosses including Kent County Council’s Roger Gough and Medway’s Vince Maple, have warned ending the Household Support Fund risks creating more homelessness, destitution and additional pressure on other public services.

Under the scheme, the county council is able to offer a pre-payment card of £100 to help vulnerable people with energy costs.

Those eligible for help must show they have a household income of less than £40,000 per annum before tax, including all benefits and employment income.

Applicants must also show they do not have more than £1,000 in savings.

The council leaders: “The Household Support Fund has been extremely welcome and continues to provide a vital safety net for residents who are struggling to afford the essentials and are facing financial crisis.

“Local services are experiencing record demand for local welfare support. We are therefore deeply concerned that ending the fund on March 31 will create a cliff-edge in provision for our communities that councils will not be able to fill.”

The letter continues: “A significantly reduced local welfare support offer risks more households falling through the gaps into financial crisis, destitution and homelessness and increasing pressure on already overstretched public services, including the NHS, social care and temporary accommodation.

“In the long term, councils and our partners in the voluntary and community sector want to shift the focus from crisis support to prevention. However, in the short term, the need for an enhanced local welfare offer is not reducing.”

Among the signatories on the letter are the leader of Kent County Council, Roger Gough; Medway council leader Vince Maple; Cllr Matt Boughton, the leader of Tonbridge and Malling council; Noel Ovenden; leader of Ashford council; Rick Everitt, leader of Thanet council; Jim Martin, leader of Folkestone council; Dover council leader Kevin Mills; Tim Gibson, Swale council leader; Julie Thornton, leader of Sevenoaks council.

A Department for Work and Pensions said: “We have invested over £2 billion in the Household Support Fund over the last few years – with almost £800 million already paid to families with children to help with the cost of living.

“The current fund is available up until March 2024 as part of wider cost of living support worth on average £3,700 per household, including raising benefits by 6.7% from April and increasing the Local Housing Allowance.”