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Richmond charity provides 225 fuel and electricity grants in September

Residents of Richmond received financial assistance from a charity to pay their fuel and electricity bills in September.

The Hampton Fund, an endowed charity provides around 1,600 individual grants to low income households in Twickenham, Hampton, Teddington and Whitton.

The scheme covers the west side of the Borough of Richmond upon Thames.

In September it provided 225 individual fuel grants.

The charity pays grants every two months to fuel suppliers, such as Bulb and Robin Hood energy that are then passed on to individual clients.

The fund benefits those who do not qualify for council supported grants, for example because they are employed.

Hampton Fund Individual Grants Manager Carole Swinburne said: “We have seen a small increase on the financial year from last year due to Covid.

“Around 25 more people have signed up to each of our grants and we are seeing this figure gradually increasing as we go along.

“So we are seeing a high level of new applications.”

Grants average £520 for under pension age, and £440 for pension age.

Aside from providing individual fuel grants, Hampton fund also provides funds for the purchase of white goods, furniture and beds for those who have just moved into a property.

Swinburne expects November grants will double that as winter essentials such as heating drive up demand.

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