The government is to extend support to cash-strapped families in the county to help with food and utility bills with a £5million extension to a Covid grant scheme.

Whitehall says the scheme, the final extension to its Covid Local Support Grant, will run until the end of September.

First introduced in December 2020, it will run until the end date for furlough and other Covid-related support.

Administered by local councils, support has included food vouchers and help with heating costs over the winter months.

Those in need of support should contact their local authority for details.

Kent will receive an additional £4.2m while Medway will receive just over £855,000.

It will bring the total amount allocated to the county to more than £13.5m through the scheme.

Minister for welfare delivery, Will Quince, said: “This grant is ensuring that thousands of families get help with food and essential utility bills as we move back towards normality.

“The new funding extends this lifeline to those most in need in the coming months as we continue to help families back on their feet, including supporting people back into work through our multi-billion pound Plan for Jobs.”

The Covid Local Support Grant is in addition to the £220m Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, which has been scaled up to cover the whole of England across the major school holidays in 2021 – including this summer. The HAF will provide disadvantaged children across the country with healthy meals and "enriching activities".

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