Latest news with #DarwenCouncil
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Families can get FREE washing machines, fridges and kids' beds or £200 payments this summer – and you can apply now
We reveal below other help you can get covering the cost of white goods HELPING HAND Families can get FREE washing machines, fridges and kids' beds or £200 payments this summer – and you can apply now Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HARD-UP families can get free washing machines, fridges and kids' beds or £200 towards the cost of energy this summer. The help comes via the Household Support Fund (HSF) - a giant £742million fund available to councils in England. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Households can get help covering the cost of white goods Credit: Getty Councils have until March 31, 2026, to allocate their share of this fund to residents in need. Support is usually offered to those on a low income, benefits or classed as vulnerable. Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council is offering thousands of hard-up households a range of help based on their needs. Some can get £200 towards the cost of gas and electricity while others can get help paying for food. Meanwhile, some can get help covering the cost of white goods such as washing machines and fridges, and single beds for children. Blackburn with Darwen Council wouldn't say how much the average price of a white good someone will receive might be. However, Which? says the average price of a fridge freezer is £800, so you could save yourself a fair amount by applying. Households requesting help with white goods must be referred to Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council by a professional. The council said this referrer might be someone from adult services, charity Age UK or children's services. You'll need to be of a limited income to apply for help through the fund. The criteria you must meet is: How to cut energy costs and get help with FOUR key household bills Single Adult in Work: Your household income must be below £26,057 (before tax and National Insurance) Two or More Adults in Work: Your household income must be below £38,870 (before tax and National Insurance) Your household savings must be under £2,000 If you're a pensioner, you can have savings up to £16,000 It's worth noting, if you've received a white goods item in the last 12 months from Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, you cannot apply for help with white goods this round. More details about the HSF scheme and how to apply are on Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council's website - Councillor Phil Riley, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "The Household Support Fund is there to support those people who are really struggling with the cost of living. "In addition to funding for a variety of things, residents can also access financial advice to help them with reducing their household outgoings and improving their income. "Anyone living in Blackburn with Darwen can apply and although there is some eligibility criteria to meet, we're keen to remind people that the Household Support Fund is open to applications from people who are in work, as well as those who are not." Household Support Fund explained Sun Savers Editor Lana Clements explains what you need to know about the Household Support Fund. If you're battling to afford energy and water bills, food or other essential items and services, the Household Support Fund can act as a vital lifeline. The financial support is a little-known way for struggling families to get extra help with the cost of living. Every council in England has been given a share of £421million cash by the government to distribute to local low income households. Each local authority chooses how to pass on the support. Some offer vouchers whereas others give direct cash payments. In many instances, the value of support is worth hundreds of pounds to individual families. Just as the support varies between councils, so does the criteria for qualifying. Many councils offer the help to households on selected benefits or they may base help on the level of household income. The key is to get in touch with your local authority to see exactly what support is on offer. The last round ran until the end of March 2025, but was extended. The most current round is running between April 2025 and March 2026. If you live outside the Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council area, it's worth checking if you qualify for help via the HSF where you live. You might be able to get free grants to cover energy bills or supermarket vouchers to spend on food. Find out what council area you fall under by visiting How else to get free white goods It's not just through the Household Support Fund you can get help with the costs of white goods. Here are some other avenues to get help. Council schemes Some councils run schemes to cover the cost of white goods. For example, Norfolk County Council has a Client Hardship Service (CHS) offering second-hand and new appliances to hard-up households. To get help you'll need to be aged 16 or older, live in Norfolk and be claiming a means-tested benefit like Universal Credit or Pension Credit. Meanwhile, Manchester City Council provides those who are resettling or moving out of temporary accommodation with basic furniture and white goods. Use the government's council locator tool, which we've shown above, to find out if your local authority offers any white good-based support and eligibility criteria. Many local councils have local assistance funds providing essential furniture and white goods too. For example, Waltham Forest Council, in London, offers struggling households vouchers to pay for essentials like bedding, household goods and furniture. You'll need to prove you don't have savings which could be used to cover the cost of these goods and must be aged 16 or over. North Yorkshire Council also offers households facing financial hardship help. Under the scheme, households can replace broken appliances free of charge, as well as access help buying food, clothing, beds and bedding. You'll need to provide proof of why you need extra support. Grants for those in specific jobs You might be able to get help covering the cost of white goods if you've worked for a specific company. One of the biggest schemes out there is the BT Benevolent Fund, which is for anyone who works at BT or has worked there before, including pensioners and dependants. You can apply for the BT Benevolent Fund on the scheme's website. Another is the Insurance Charities, which can be accessed by anyone who has worked in the insurance sector for at least five years. If a parent or primary carer has worked within the fashion and textile industry for at least one year within the past nine years, they can apply for grants to buy white goods through the Fashion and Textile Children's Trust. This includes working in a supermarket or shop with a clothes range such as Mothercare. The average amount paid is £515. Lastly, the Veteran's Charity supports those who have worked in the armed forces facing hardship. The charity can provide small and large white goods to help those battling hardship and distress. Charity grants Buttle UK is a charity for children, young people, their families, and carers offering grants worth up to £2,000. Support packages include money for essential items, including beds and cookers, and help for children's emotional, social, and educational needs. Meanwhile, Family Fund supports families raising disabled or seriously ill children. They provide grants for several things, including washing machines, bedding, and furniture. The grants are paid through specific suppliers and can be used for the total cost of new items or a discount on the cost. The exact amount given varies in each individual case. For those in England and Scotland, kitchen goods are supplied by the website AO. For those in Wales, grants are supplied by Argos, and for those in Northern Ireland, the supplier is Vision Sales. Charity Glasspool also provides grants to help people buy white goods, bedding, and items for children and babies. There are no specific eligibility requests for this charity, but it says it expects anyone applying to have already made an application for local welfare schemes. Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@ Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Council to spend £78,000 on staff car parking
Town hall bosses will spend £78,000 to ensure staff and councillors have enough parking spaces during major redevelopment works. Blackburn with Darwen Council said it will rent 250 more spaces at The Mall shopping centre in Blackburn when work starts on a skills and education campus. A report by the local authority's environment lead, Councillor Jim Smith, said: "Brown Street car park is already over-subscribed for permit parking and has capacity pressures. "From May or soon after, 137 car parking spaces will be unavailable due to work commencing on the development." The report added: "There will be 183 remaining car parking spaces on Brown Street along with 60 spaces on Penny Street. "Currently 518 car parking passes have been issued, therefore the council needs to identify additional town-centre parking provision." The report said staff who pay £20 per month can use car parks within the town centre including Feilden Street, Duke Street, Brown Street, Penny Street and The Mall. The council has negotiated a rental deal for 250 parking spaces on The Mall in addition to its current 50, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. "The net additional cost is estimated to be £78,000 and can be funded from within existing budgets," the report added. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer. Multimillion-pound campus works approved Town bids for £40m of levelling up funding Town's £250m regeneration plan revealed Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
BBC News
29-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Blackburn with Darwen Council to spend £78k on staff car parking
Town hall bosses will spend £78,000 to ensure staff and councillors have enough parking spaces during major redevelopment with Darwen Council said it will rent 250 more spaces at The Mall shopping centre in Blackburn when work starts on a skills and education campus.A report by the local authority's environment lead, Councillor Jim Smith, said: "Brown Street car park is already over-subscribed for permit parking and has capacity pressures. "From May or soon after, 137 car parking spaces will be unavailable due to work commencing on the development." The report added: "There will be 183 remaining car parking spaces on Brown Street along with 60 spaces on Penny Street."Currently 518 car parking passes have been issued, therefore the council needs to identify additional town-centre parking provision."The report said staff who pay £20 per month can use car parks within the town centre including Feilden Street, Duke Street, Brown Street, Penny Street and The council has negotiated a rental deal for 250 parking spaces on The Mall in addition to its current 50, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said."The net additional cost is estimated to be £78,000 and can be funded from within existing budgets," the report added. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
BBC News
27-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Giant 50m Ferris wheel to visit Blackburn town centre
A 50m (164ft) observation wheel is coming to a Lancashire town centre following the success of a similar attraction. The Big Wheel will be arriving in Blackburn's Cathedral Square next month, giving guests panoramic views right across the town. A similar giant Ferris wheel attracted crowds in in height to 11 stacked double-decker buses and the largest transportable such device in the UK, Blackburn with Darwen Council's Quesir Mahmood said it would be a "spectacle" for the town. The councillor said: "The views from the top will be incredible – especially over Blackburn Cathedral."The wheel, which will be opposite Blackburn Railway Station, is the largest the Bolton-based The Giant Wheel Company owns. The company's Evan de Koning said: "With fully enclosed gondolas, this is the largest transportable observation wheel in the UK."Riders will be able to visit the wheel from Saturday 3 May until 8 June. The wheel has previously visited Manchester's Trafford Centre, with the company also supplying wheels for events such as the British Grand Prix at Silverstone and the Isle of Wight are 36 gondolas available on the 50m wheel, each with space for six people with an adapted gondola with wheelchair access also will be available for the attraction, which is open from 12:00 BST to 22:00 Sunday to Friday, and 11:00 to 22:00 on Saturdays. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Work begins to demolish ‘iconic' swimming baths in Blackburn
Work has begun to demolish a once popular swimming pool in Blackburn. A section of Daisyfield Swimming Baths has already been demolished by workers over the past week. The car park area has been cordoned off and, although work stopped over the Easter break, workers were set to continue with the project this week off Daisy Lane. The 118-year-old building was closed in 2023 after the discovery of legionella bacteria at the site. The decision followed a consultation over swimming provision in the area. The car park area has been cordoned off (Image: Nq)In April of 2024, the Lancashire Telegraph reported that Blackburn with Darwen Council was pressing ahead with plans to demolish the complex, despite calls by swimmers and supporters to keep it open. A finance council meeting approved the demolition of Daisyfield and the redundant Shadsworth Leisure Centre, allocating a budget of £1.5million to cover costs for both. All debris and spoil from the demolished building are to be removed other than crushed masonry/concrete, which will be used for a temporary surface where the pool will be filled. The controversial closure came after an officer's report which said the council could not afford the £71,000 needed to refurbish the pool plant and £3.1million more required for wider building repairs to keep the pools operational in the short term. In October last year, councillors were told there were no plans to sell the site.
