Council chiefs are urging residents facing a financial crisis due to the coronavirus outbreak to get in touch for support.

Hartlepool Borough Council’s Local Welfare Support team is looking to help residents and let them know what assistance may be available.

The service exists to help local residents affected by an unforeseen event or set of circumstances, such as the coronavirus outbreak, and can be accessed by calling (01429) 284284 and selecting option 1.

Help comes in a number of forms and includes shopping vouchers and electricity and gas prepayment top-ups, but council chiefs stressed it is not a fund for providing people with extra cash.

Penny Thompson, the council’s Head of Service – Children’s Hub and Partnerships, said: “Anyone can apply for Local Welfare Support, including working people in receipt of low incomes and those who are out of work.

“However, the level of support that may be available will depend upon the circumstances of each individual. We would encourage people to contact us and talk to a member of staff who will ask them questions about their income.

“We will check the validity of their claim by cross-checking any information they provide against other systems that we have access to, and then a decision will be made.”

Households may also be eligible for support through initiatives such as the council’s Local Council Tax Support Scheme, free schools meals offer and housing benefit programme.

Government has already announced local authorities will receive a financial boost to help support vulnerable residents in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Government measures include £1.6bn ’emergency funding’ to support council services, and a further £500m Hardship Fund was also confirmed in last month’s budget by the Chancellor.

The hardship fund is specifically to provide council tax relief to the most vulnerable households and it was announced Hartlepool would get £1,864,342 from the fund.

The fund enables councils to reduce the 2020 to 2021 council tax bills of working age people receiving Local Council Tax Support, which is currently around 8,600 households in Hartlepool.

Councils are also able to use the funding to provide further discretionary support to vulnerable people through other support arrangements such as Local Welfare Schemes.

Robert Jenrick, the Local Government Secretary, said: “Providing the necessary financial support to people and families is critical at this difficult time when many people will be concerned about changes to their income.”

Hartlepool is also to receive £3,404,116 from the ’emergency funding’ pot.

Councillor Shane Moore, leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, previously said the funds will be used to help support elderly and vulnerable people in the area and reduce pressure on the NHS.

For information visit hartlepool.gov.uk or telephone 01429 284188.