The Government has announced a £421 million boost to the Housing Support Fund, granted to Councils to provide crisis support to vulnerable households in most need with essential costs over winter, including energy and water bills, food and other essential items.

The Government have extended the Household Support Fund from 1 Oct -31 March 2025 and Walsall Council will receive £2,819,810.19.

If you currently get benefits, they will not be affected by receiving a payment through this scheme.

The fund is available now until 31 March 2025, and I urge anyone in need to visit this website for more details on eligibility and how to apply.

On 11 September 2024 I chaired the debates held in Westminster Hall from 2.30pm-5.30pm. There were 3 debates:

1  Depopulation in rural areas, introduced by Torcuil Crichton (Na h-Eileanan an Iar);

2 The Oswestry to Gobowen railway line, introduced by Helen Morgan (North Shropshire); and 

3 The Impact of financial fraud and economic crime, introduced by Luke Charters (York Outer).

I want to set out the background and the reason I voted against the motion to annul the decision on Winter Fuel Allowance paid to all pensioners. There are many pensioners who received this payment even though they were not in need of the extra payment. Some pensioners who did not need it said they used it for reasons unrelated to fuel.  

The Winter Fuel payment was first introduced by the Labour government in 1997 to help tackle fuel poverty among pensioners. It provided a one-off payment of between £100-£300. As it was the easiest and most cost effective way to give pensioners the payment, all pensioners received it. The costs associated with means testing those who did not need it were too great and therefore a universal payment was made. 

The reform to this year's payment was designed to ensure that the money was reallocated to the poorest pensioners who urgently need the payment. This will be targeted to those pensioners. At the same time many pensioners are entitled to Pension credit and many do not claim it. 

In these challenging times, every bit of support is crucial, especially as we work to address the financial challenges left by the previous Tory government.

The Government is ensuring there are some other measures to support the poorest pensioners:

The Warm Homes Discount, initially suggested by a former Labour government, will continue to provide relief this winter, offering £150 in savings for those on pension credit.
The triple lock has led to a significant increase in the state pension with over £900 added this year alone. There will be a further rise announced at next month’s budget, and pensions are projected to increase by more than £1,000 over the next five years.
The Household Support Fund will be extended, providing £500 million of support for those with the greatest need.
Additionally, the government’s Warm Homes Plan will drive investment in insulation and low-carbon heating, with the aim of upgrading millions of homes over this parliamentary term to combat fuel poverty.

One of the most pressing issues is that hundreds of thousands of pensioners who are eligible for additional support have not been claiming what they’re entitled to. The Government is committed to making sure that no one misses out, and I urge all eligible pensioners to claim Pension Credit, which unlocks access to the Winter Fuel Allowance and other vital benefits.

If you, or anyone you know, may be eligible, I encourage you to check eligibility by following this link: www.gov.uk/pension-credit/eligibility or by calling the Pension Credit claim line at 0800 99 1234.

The House considered a motion to annul the Government reform to the Winter fuel allowance payments on Opposition Day.  I voted against the amendment.

Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment Regulations 2024 (SI2024, No 869): motion to annul  Ayes: 228 Noes: 348       Winter Fuel Payment:  Ayes: 213  Noes:336

St Matthew’s Church, held an Open Day to encourage residents and visitors to learn about the Church and its history in Walsall. The Heritage Day took place on Saturday 7 September 2024.

St Matthews Church is a Grade II* listed building, as the oldest building in Walsall and main parish church of the town. Re built in 1820-1821, there are some remains of the earlier church built around 1220 and dedicated to All Saints. St Matthews is in the Diocese of Lichfield.

The first school I visited after General Election was Christ Church C of E Primary School, Bloxwich on 6 September 2024.I met the Head,  Sean Davies and the Deputy Head Natasha Molineux.  I was able to call in on the classes and met the teachers and pupils. Christ Church is a warm and welcoming School and the children were hard at work. In one class they were discussing who their hero and heroines were and we were included in the discussion. The outdoor space, the forest , is part of the ethos of the School to show the importance of the environment.