A local authority has given details of how it proposes to use a further £1.619 million of government cash to support residents through the ongoing cost of living crisis.

The new money has been given to Blackburn with Darwen Council as part of the Household Support Fund (HSF).

The borough's executive board on Thursday night decided how it would be distributed.

It will provide £1.024m to help residents with their energy bills, £250,000 to provide food for struggling households, £25,000 to support housing needs, £150,000 to supply white goods to households, and £30,000 to support voluntary and community organisations - with £140,000 for administration costs.

A report by the council's finance boss Councillor Vicky McGurk told the executive board: "The government has announced a further extension to the HSF from October 1. This grant funding must be used by March 31 and the council is expected to receive a further £1.619m

"It has been recognised that further support is required to support communities as the cost of living crisis begins to impact further beyond recovery from the pandemic.

"One third of the total funding is ring-fenced to support households with children, one third is ring-fenced to support pensioners with up one third for other households genuinely in need of support."

"This may include households not currently in receipt of welfare benefits. Councils have been encouraged to adopt the following principles:

"Use the funding from October 1 to March 31 to help those who are struggling to afford energy, food and water bills, and other related essentials;

"Support households who are struggling to afford wider essentials; and

"In exceptional cases of genuine emergency use it to support housing costs."

Cllr Damian Talbot, Blackburn with Darwen Council's public health boss, said: "The Household Support Scheme, which has been extended to run through until March 2023, is available for anyone eligible to apply for support with fuel costs, boiler servicing and repairs, food and other essentials to keep warm and fed.

"The situation is worse than at any point during the pandemic.

"Times are tough for everyone but it is residents on the lowest incomes who are feeling the effects of rising prices the most and struggling to make ends meet.

"The fall in standards of living is the biggest crisis in a generation and it is only going to get worse as we move into the Autumn and see energy prices rise even more."