Warm spaces and help with food and heating bills are to be introduced in Fife again this winter as the cost-of-living crisis continues.
And council tenants living in homes affected by damp or mould will be among the top priorities.
Seventy-two warm banks were set up across Fife last year as people struggled with soaring energy bills.
On top of this, 5,000 families received support with fuel bills.
And more than 42,000 free Cafe Inc meals were provided during the October and Christmas holidays.
Meanwhile, 18,000 emergency food parcels were provided by the Trussell Trust.
The council says that while demand has since fallen, a significant level of need remains.
And it has outlined some of the support that will be available over the winter months.
Warm spaces and food support
Warm spaces were run by community groups at various venues across Fife last year.
And the busiest ones were where free activities and food were provided.
People using them reported they were safe and welcoming places to go and allowed them to keep warm without switching the heating on at home.
Fife Council is proposing investing a further £260,000 towards warm spaces and community food this year.
This is £40,000 more than in 2022-23.
Mould and damp issues
The council’s housing service is prioritising action to address mould and damp given the health risks.
One cause of damp problems could be lack of heating.
And the local authority has set aside £10,000 to help tenants who need extra support to heat their homes.
Household Support to help with cost of living in Fife
Support will be extended to allow people to insulate their homes via Cosy Kingdom.
Grants will be provided to improve the quality of carpets and council house re-letting standards are being reviewed to ensure more furnishing is retained.
In addition, more funds will go to the Cottage Centre’s Big Hoose Project which helps provide household items to struggling families.
Income maximisation and energy advice
More staff will be trained in benefit, money and energy advice.
Last year, more than 7,000 benefit checks were carried out.
And this saw households gain an average of £104 per month.
Check if you are entitled to more using the free Fife Council benefits calculator here.
More information on fuel payments and discounts can be found here.
Child maintenance
Lone parent charity Fife Gingerbread helps people pursue the child maintenance they’re entitled do.
However, at the moment it charges £20 to carry out the work.
Fife Council funding will remove the charge and hopefully encourage more parents to access funds.
More information is available here.
Improving information and messaging
Fife Council launched a website full of information on how to access help last year.
It includes advice on winter fuel payments, cost-of-living support and ways to reduce energy costs.
And it was viewed more than 60,000 times in its first year.
Staff plan to build on it by including information from a wider range of organisations.
There is also a community support phone line for those not online – 0800 952 0330.
Anyone in need of emergency support can access it here.
Conversation