City initiatives that provide cost-of-living support will benefit from a share of £1million, after allocations were approved at last week’s (11 June) Anti-Poverty and Inequality Committee.
Organisations including Food Poverty Action Aberdeen (£271,197) AberNecessities (£175,242), Aberdeen Cyrenians (£48, 600) and Bethany Christian Church (£4,364) will all receive funding to help tackle issues such as infant formula shortages, food procurement and supporting vulnerable women.
Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Christian Allard said: “A total of 14 initiatives will receive an allocation of £1million to help tackle poverty and alleviate the cost-of-living crisis.
“The range of community groups and charities receiving funding will ensure that they can make a real difference within communities across Aberdeen.”
Anti-Poverty and Inequality Vice-Convener Councillor Desmond Buchanan said: “We thank the External Advisors for undertaking this work on behalf of the committee to ensure the fair allocation of funding to organisations and initiatives across the city. This approach further demonstrates what successful partnership working can achieve.”
The committee’s External Advisors met to review potential recipients and agree on the allocation of the £1million funding. The advisers also considered suggestions identified through the previous year’s Committee visits.
Full list of allocated funding:
- AberNecessities (support for underprivileged children), £161,113
- AberNecessities (infant formula), £14,129
- Food Poverty Action Aberdeen (food procurement), £271,197
- Aberdeen City Council, Revenues & Benefits (winter clothing), £130,000
- Aberdeen City Council, Revenues & Benefits (discretionary housing payments), £100,000
- Aberdeen Cyrenians (Community Hub rent and energy costs), £48,600
- Aberdeen Performing Arts (Christmas panto package for low income families), £10,000
- Bethany Christian Church (supporting vulnerable women in Torry), £4,364
- SCARF (fuel poverty), £95,000
- Aberdeen Care and Repair (financial advice for elderly and disabled people and unpaid carers), £38,359
- CFINE (Cash First infant formula). £12,000
- CFINE (community pantries), £66,500
- CFINE (SAFE financial advice outreach), £28,738
- SHMU (poverty awareness), £20,000
Phil Mackie, External Advisor said: “In developing the proposals, the External Advisors sought to strike a balance between allocating funds that can minimise harm by providing immediate support to those in need, whilst also supporting action that advocates for long-term systemic change.
“This has not been without its challenges; for example, we recognise that this means reducing the level of direct support for people in the short term, but this is balanced by allocations that will help to reduce the overall need for support in the longer term.”
As well as agreeing the Cost-of-living Fund allocations for 2025/26, the committee also reviewed a full year evaluation of the outcomes achieved from the Cost-of-Living Funding allocated for 2024/25 which highlighted the good work that the fund supported last year.