Haringey Council has launched a new fund to tackle child poverty and support residents facing financial hardship, with significant funding allocated to key initiatives.
The Cabinet Member Signing meeting on Friday 10 July 2026 approved an interim policy for the 2026/27 Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF), a move designed to address the borough's pressing poverty issues. Approximately 26% of people in Haringey live below the poverty line after housing costs, with child poverty particularly acute at around 39%.
Key initiatives approved under the new policy include the extension of free school meal holiday vouchers until September 2026, an expansion of the Financial Support Team, and an increase in the number of crisis fund decision-makers. The CRF, provided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), aims to support low-income households, assist with rental costs, deliver resilience services, and improve community collaboration.
Councillor Jo Kuper, Cabinet Member for Tackling Inequality and Resident Services, highlighted the council's commitment to supporting residents experiencing financial hardship. Haringey Council remained committed to supporting residents experiencing financial hardship,
the decision document stated Decisions 10th-Jul-2026 14.30 Cabinet Member Signing.
Under the approved policy, an estimated £966,000 will be spent on extending free school meal holiday vouchers. Following this period, a more targeted approach to holiday payments for households experiencing financial hardship will be implemented. The specific criteria for this targeted approach are to be determined later in the year, with the council reviewing arrangements for holiday support from the 2026/27 academic year onwards. The intention is to focus on households at risk of financial hardship while supporting longer-term financial resilience. This aligns with DWP guidance expecting councils to transition away from automatic holiday meal vouchers for those eligible for free school meals by October 2026, as the CRF is designed to target those in crisis.
Furthermore, an estimated £1,742,338 has been allocated for the expansion of the Financial Support Team. This expansion will increase outreach activity and community-based support, with extended operating hours for the financial support helpline to improve accessibility. The team will be expanded by 14 officers, including new Financial Support Advisor and Financial Support Officer roles, and an additional manager. The redesign and expansion of this team will support increased outreach and community-based working, aiming to reduce experiences of material deprivation, decrease the need for emergency food parcels, and increase access to quality advice services.
To enhance crisis support, an estimated £200,432 has been approved to increase the number of crisis fund decision-makers by two Benefits Officers for a period of two years. This will allow for more comprehensive assessments and associated support to be provided to residents.
A one-off expenditure of £30,000 has also been approved for the development of a streamlined online application form. This form will integrate multiple crisis fund applications and a benefits calculator, enabling residents to apply for various support measures through a single portal and receive instant information about potential benefit entitlements. The council anticipates its Anti-Poverty Strategy (APS) to be published by no later than Q4 of 2026/27, which will inform the development and implementation of this form and future spending.
Additionally, an estimated £220,221 has been approved to fund a strategic community coordination role. This role will support the design, co-production, and delivery of the borough's approach to tackling poverty, working with service areas and council partners to strengthen coordination of anti-poverty work. Success in this area will be measured by tracking referral volumes, coordination between services, and partner engagement, with referrals through an improved digital gateway to be monitored.
The decision also noted that all costs are estimates and could vary. Delegated authority was approved for the Corporate Director for Environment and Resident Experience to manage the budget in accordance with the policy's principles and criteria. The policy will be updated to reflect the approved recommendations, and the ongoing development of an Anti-Poverty Strategy will inform future updates. The council anticipates its Anti-Poverty Strategy to be published by no later than Q4 of 2026/27, which will provide valuable insight into community needs and gaps in provision, directly influencing future CRF policy updates and spending.
The council considered alternative options, including delaying implementation, which was discounted due to the potential delay in financial support, and committing the entire allocation at once, which was not pursued as the Anti-Poverty Strategy is still under development. Other options, such as ending all school holiday support after September 2026 or implementing a smaller expansion of support teams, were rejected as insufficient to meet identified needs.
The full details of the meeting and the approved policy can be found in the public reports pack Public reports pack 10th-Jul-2026 14.30 Cabinet Member Signing.
