In the last calendar year, Kingdom’s Tenancy Sustainment Services helped 1,090 customers access over £778,000 of support and the latest grant awards, focused on fuel poverty and food hardship, will allow Kingdom to offer additional support as the cost of living continues to increase.

During March, Kingdom’s Money Advice Team will have access to funding worth £15,600 to help 104 households facing food poverty and Hardship. Customers will receive Scotland Loves Local vouchers to spend on the items they need while they engage with help through income maximisation & budgeting support.

Energy Advisers within the team will also continue their work to support those experiencing fuel poverty by providing small home energy efficiency measures such as light bulbs, draft excluders and radiator foil thanks to a £125,000 grant. They will also be providing carpet and curtains to those needing them to help insulate properties and reduce energy expenditure.

Bill Banks, Kingdom Group chief executive, said: “Helping improve the lives of the people within our communities is something that has always been extremely important to me and I’m glad that as the cost of living crisis continues we’re able to offer ongoing support to those who need it most. Kingdom’s mission is to provide more than a home and our range of tenancy support services, including advocacy and advice as well as financial support, helps us deliver on that mission.”

Kingdom’s General Financial Assistance Fund is also available to Kingdom Housing Association tenants and Kingdom Initiative tenants and is aimed at providing short-term financial assistance to those experiencing critical/emergency financial hardship.

The grants awarded from the fund can be used to help with the cost of food, other household bills or baby and child costs.

Richard Barnett, Kingdom’s tenancy support services coordinator, added: “At Kingdom Housing Association we are fully committed to providing help to any customer impacted by the cost of living crisis. We are increasingly seen by funders as having an important role in distributing funding to those requiring urgent short-term interventions. We are also extremely fortunate to have a number of core services providing advice and support to tackle the underlying causes of hardship.

“These two particular sources of funding come at a crucial time where we can work with customers to put long-term measures in place to reduce the frequency and severity of such hardship.”