Extra £28m to go to Grenfell Relief
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During the Budget speech, Chancellor Philip Hammond has said that an extra £28m is to go toward helping the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.
The funding for Kensington and Chelsea Council in London will pay for mental health services and regeneration. The fire, which broke out in June, took the lives of 71 people, leaving hundreds homeless and in need of counselling. Labour welcomed the announcement but questioned whether it should be up to the council to spend the money.
Mr Hammond called on all local authorities across the UK to speed up efforts to ensure all high-rise towers were safe.
In the speech, Mr Hammond said the Grenfell fire ‘should never have happened and we must ensure that nothing like it ever happens again.’
Kensington and Chelsea Council confirmed that the money would go toward mental health services in that area, alongside existing NHS agencies as well as paying for a new community space. It will also pay for a new community space and refurbishment of Lancaster West estate in west London, where the tower is based.
Last month, the NHS Trust said that around 360 adults and children were undergoing PTSD treatment following the fire. Survivors were also reported to have attempted suicide also, so the effects of this fire are far from over, unfortunately.
At least they’re getting some help.