Vulnerable people in Harrow will benefit from a £2 million support package as the council tries to manage the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Cllr Adam Swersky, responsible for emergency response at Harrow Council, explained that additional funding has been made available to cope with the crisis.

The £2 million injection will focus on supporting vulnerable residents – such as those who require social care – as well as those facing financial hardship and local businesses.

Cllr Swersky said: “These are hard times for our borough. Many of us are facing the most difficult weeks and months of our lives.

“But through the darkness, there are a thousand points of light. The families who check in on their neighbours, the NHS, social care, and public service workers who staff the frontline, and the hundreds of thousands of volunteers who have offered to help out.

“Whether you’re self-isolating and struggling to buy food, facing financial hardship, or just finding the lockdown hard, the council and Harrow’s community organisations are here to help. No one should have to face this crisis alone.”

He explained that the council will invest £500,000 to support voluntary and community organisations in the borough, as their importance becomes ever more pronounced during this outbreak.

Among other things, this will help cover the costs of food deliveries and other critical activity, funds to expand advice lines, and investment in bereavement support.

Cllr Swersky noted that this funding is part of a wider strategy – at both national and local level – to deal with coronavirus.

This includes opening a helpline for those who need extra information due to covid-19, a council tax discount for lowest-income households and support for businesses to ensure they have access to rate reliefs and government grants.