A government decision to extend the Household Support Fund has been welcomed by the leader of Hertfordshire County Council, Cllr Richard Roberts.

The Household Support Fund is designed to support vulnerable residents with the rising costs of energy, food and water across the country.

And in the past the county council has used money allocated from the Fund for measures that have included the provision of school holiday supermarket vouchers for struggling families.

It has also been used to support food banks, homeless people and survivors of domestic abuse in the county – as well as those in low income households facing an immediate financial crisis.

And it has been used to provide vouchers for new pensioners registered for Pension Credits and care leavers over the age of 19.

There had been no guarantee that the funding would run beyond the end of this month (September).

But now (September 2) the Department of Work and Pensions has announced a further injection of £421 million – extending the Fund for a further six months.

And that's a decision that has been welcomed by Conservative county council leader Cllr Roberts.

"We welcome the announcement by the Work and Pensions Secretary to extend the Household Support Fund, introduced by the last government, for an additional six months," Cllr Roberts told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"We understand the financial pressures that our residents are facing, and these are likely to be even more acute during the colder winter months.

"That's why we've been calling for the Household Support Fund to be extended, and we're pleased that the government has listened to us.

"We will be working closely with our partners to ensure this funding is targeted where it is most needed.

"We will, of course be sharing full details of our plans once they are finalised."

According to the government, 1.3m more people have 'fallen into poverty' since 2010/11 – and 2.8m people are now out of work due to sickness.

And they say the extension of the Household Support Fund will prevent councils and vulnerable households experiencing an immediate cliff edge of support.

Commenting on the extension of the Fund, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves MP said it was the "right thing to do".

"The £22 billion blackhole inherited from the previous governments means we have to take tough decisions to fix the foundations of our economy," she said.

"But extending the Household Support Fund is the right thing to do – provide targeted support for those who need it most as we head into the winter months."

And Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Liz Kendall MP, said: "We are extending the Household Support Fund for the next six months because it is a lifeline for people who are struggling with the cost of living.

"The dire inheritance we face means more people are living in poverty now than 14 years ago – and this Government is taking immediate action to prevent a cliff edge of support for the most vulnerable in our society.

"At the same time, we are taking action to fix the foundations of our country through our plans to grow the economy, make work pay, and Get Britain Working again."