TENANTS of a social housing provider in Cornwall will be able to benefit from a coronavirus hardship fund.
Ocean Housing has established the £50,000 fund to help people with things like bills and fuel costs, and to provide supermarket shopping vouchers.
Money will also be distributed to Cornish charities serving the communities in which the housing provider has properties. Ocean Housing has rental homes all over Cornwall including in Liskeard, East Taphouse and Bodmin.
Frances Turner, managing director, said: ‘At this time of crisis, we want to ensure help is available for people in our communities in order to stay safe, well, and fed.
‘The Government and other local organisations have already announced a wide range of measures to prevent hardship. Our fund will be awarded to people where their needs cannot easily, or immediately, be met by those organisations, and where financial support is required.’
Ocean Housing says it has identified a significant rise in cases of severe hardship since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. A growing number of tenants have lost their jobs, and are struggling to meet living costs such as bills, food, and rent.
Staff are making regular phone calls to check in with their most vulnerable residents during this time of isolation to see how they are, and signpost to further assistance if necessary.
For more information about the Ocean Housing hardship fund visit www.oceanhousing.com/hardship-fund-
support or call 01726 874450.