Somerset County Council offering winter living support

Buildings such as libraries, churches and theatres will be part of a network of places people can go to keep warm

Somerset County Council has approved a range of measures aimed at helping people with the rising cost of living this winter.

The £700,000 package includes help to find foodbanks, more mental health support and a network of warm places so people can escape the cold.

The network will include libraries, some churches and some town halls.

Support intended specifically for clinically vulnerable people who live in cold homes will also be available.

Somerset County Council has allocated £250,000 of the total to the Somerset Community Foundation's Cost of Living Crisis Appeal fund.

The fund supports food supply networks, energy projects and the 'Warm Welcome' locations; the collective of venues opening its doors to people in need of warmth.

Somerset West and Taunton Council, Sedgemoor District Council, South Somerset District Council and Mendip District Council have also contributed £50,000 each.

Help is available for vulnerable people to improve home insulation and energy efficiency.

Other support available in the county this winter includes the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) Safe and Warm Somerset helpline.

It assists people who are clinically vulnerable and struggling to afford their energy bills and living in a cold home.

A total of £314,000 has been provided from Somerset County Council's Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) Grant which means CSE will also reach out to clinically vulnerable people in cold homes and help arrange the installation of insulation and heating measures to improve energy efficiency.

The council is using an additional £65,000 to provide face-to-face help at home for around 500 older adults in need of mental health support.

Councillor Federica Smith-Roberts, Somerset County Council Executive Lead Member for Communities, said the overall package aims "to make sure people in Somerset do not find themselves in a position where they must choose between heating and eating".

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