Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Ian Bunting

New hardship fund in place for North Lanarkshire residents affected financially by the COVID pandemic and rent arrears

A new Tenant Grant Hardship Fund is in place to support North Lanarkshire residents affected financially by the COVID pandemic - and people who have fallen into rent arrears and are at risk of becoming homeless.

Set up by the Scottish Government, North Lanarkshire Council (NLC) has been provided with an allocation of £562,000 and will administer payments direct to landlords.

The fund is open to tenants and landlords and has been established to support people who have been affected financially by the pandemic and have fallen into rent arrears.

The grant, which does not need to be repaid, can help pay off some, or all arrears, to help people secure their tenancy and remain within their homes.

An online form is now live for applications, and applications should be made in this way.

The Scottish Government's set criteria for the fund is: it’s available to tenants in the private and social rented sector at risk of homelessness.

It will cover 12 months rent or less; it is to help repay rent arrears that have arisen due to the pandemic between March 23, 2020, and August 9, 2021; landlords must have complied fully with PARS (pre-action requirements); and it is specifically for vulnerable individuals/households at threat of homelessness or who do not have alternative sources of support.

NLC convener of housing and regeneration, Councillor Heather Brannan-McVey, told Lanarkshire Live : “The pandemic has hit communities hard.

“The main focus of this new grant funding is supporting those most at risk of homelessness to remain in their homes.

"We welcome this grant funding, which will help prevent homelessness for those tenants and residents who have fallen into rent arrears due to the pandemic and it will also help reduce the number of eviction actions taken by landlords.

"It’s vital we all work together to prevent those most at risk from losing their homes.

"Our trained housing staff will administer the fund. They are available to help and are already experienced in supporting vulnerable people facing housing problems."

The fund is available until March 2022.

* Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.

And did you know Lanarkshire Live is on Facebook? Head on over and give us a like and share!

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.