Barking and Dagenham Council claims government funding to support struggling households through winter is “a drop in the ocean” following the cut to universal credit.

The borough was allocated £2.16 million from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) household support fund, which will be available to vulnerable people and families to help with essential costs over the winter months.

However, the council says its share falls far short of the amount of money vulnerable people in the borough have lost as a result of the £20-a-week universal credit uplift being removed.

Latest government figures show about 35,000 people in Barking and Dagenham were claiming universal credit in August, about 40pc of whom were employed.

Deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for finance, performance and core services, Cllr Dominic Twomey, said local people will have lost more than £16.5m by the end of the financial year due to the cut.

"The additional funding announced from government is therefore a drop in the ocean and runs only until the end of March 2022," he said.

"Removing the £20-a-week is already proving catastrophic for a significant number of residents."

DWP says the new fund is part of a wider package of support the government is providing this winter.

It has said the uplift was always a temporary measure, designed to help claimants through the toughest stages of the pandemic.

However, Cllr Twomey said the council is "demanding the government gives more help to those who need it most."

He said: "Government rightly found money to support businesses from going under - they can find the money to help ordinary people from going under too."

A government spokesperson said the support it is providing for vulnerable people includes 2.2m low-income households being given a £140 rebate on energy bills through the Warm Home Discount and the £220m holiday activities and food programme for disadvantaged children over the Christmas break.

People in need of help and support are encouraged to get in touch with the council, which will be distributing the allocated funding from DWP.

Visit lbbd.gov.uk/individual-assistance-payment-iap-support-scheme or email benefits@lbbd.gov.uk to apply.