AQW 16542/22-27

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 10/10/2024
Answered On Date: 22/10/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities to detail (i) the rationale used for not providing local government with hardship funding for vulnerable residents; and (ii) whether he will be bidding for funding to support vulnerable people through local councils in the next monitoring round.

Answer:

Due to the financial constraints on my Department’s budget, I am currently unable to provide any hardship funding for 2024/25 and due to the continuing uncertainty in funding, it would not be possible to consider a recurrent funding model at this time.The Department of Finance have commissioned the 2024/25 October Monitoring Round and there are no opportunities to bid for Non Ring-Fenced Resources.