A funding initiative which has successfully delivered vital support for vulnerable families and individuals across Argyll and Bute is set for redesign and expansion.
The Flexible Food and Fuel Fund (FFFF) has provided financial assistance and welfare rights support to households experiencing food and fuel insecurity across the region since January 2021.
The Fund has become a key element of the Council’s poverty prevention approach, combining direct financial assistance for households experiencing crisis with access to welfare rights, income maximisation, debt advice and fuel poverty support.
Since its launch, the programme has supported more than 4,000 households across Argyll and Bute and delivered client income gains of more than £6 million through welfare rights, income maximisation and fuel poverty interventions. Outcomes have been particularly strong for families with children, single-adult households and disabled people.
However, UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) revenue funding, which has supported elements of the initiative in recent years, will end in March 2026, with no replacement allocation for Argyll and Bute from UK Government funds for at least the next three financial years.
To ensure this vital support can continue, councillors have approved plans to develop a redesigned model, Connected for Good, which will strengthen prevention and early intervention activity and expand access to support across the area.
Connected for Good will focus on helping households earlier, increasing face-to-face outreach, improving referral pathways and supporting practical interventions that reduce financial pressure on families. This includes initiatives such as recycled school clothing, period products for young people and practical items such as wellington boots and waterproofs to support participation in outdoor learning.
The Council has agreed to provide time-limited support from existing resources to maintain core services while longer-term funding is secured. The Council is also developing an application to the Big Lottery Fund (BLF) to support the enhanced and expanded elements of Connected for Good. Initial discussions with BLF have been positive, indicating strong alignment with fund priorities, subject to the formal application process.
Councillor Ross Moreland, Policy Lead for Finance and Commercial Services, said: “The Flexible Food and Fuel Fund has delivered significant benefits to households across Argyll and Bute and remains a key part of the Council’s approach to preventing financial hardship, by building on what works and focusing more on early help and prevention, Connected for Good will enable us to support more families before problems reach crisis point, while working with partners to secure sustainable funding for the future.”
