Wandsworth Council closes cost-of-living reserve with £6.2m unspent
Conservative administration redirects funds to financial resilience reserve and replaces support schemes
News London evidence indexOpen analysis ▾
Only one named source (Labour councillor) and no direct document cited.
Higher is stronger
Opposition voices quoted but no right of reply from council beyond press release.
Higher is stronger
Headline overstates 'shuts' and 'unspent to help' without evidence of misuse.
Lower is better
Wandsworth Council will close its cost-of-living reserve on 29 July 2026, leaving £6.2m unspent. The Conservative administration decided to return the funds to the council’s financial resilience reserve, as reported by MyLondon. The reserve, established by the previous Labour administration in 2022, supported residents through measures including an extra independent domestic violence advocate.
The council will instead use the Government’s Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF), which replaces the Household Support Fund. Wandsworth will receive £3.8m in 2026/27. The CRF will fund crisis payments, the Holiday Activities and Food programme, and pantries at family hubs. The cabinet approved the allocations for the first year of the CRF on 29 July 2026.
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Support schemes discontinued
Funding for an extra independent domestic violence advocate will end in August 2026. The council will also discontinue summer holiday food vouchers for children receiving free school meals. MyLondon reported that 767 people signed a petition by Wandsworth Labour calling for the vouchers to continue. Labour councillor Judi Gasser told the cabinet meeting the decision would leave vulnerable families without support.
I think we are throwing some of our most vulnerable families off a cliff and it wasn’t necessary.
Judi Gasser, Wandsworth Labour councillor
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Gasser said the voluntary sector was already seeing residents in crisis. She added that families were struggling to apply for the CRF. The council’s report acknowledged the CRF provides less funding than previous arrangements. It stated the allocations would balance immediate crisis payments with housing support and community coordination.
Opposition criticism
Labour opposition leader Simon Hogg criticised the decision to close the reserve. He said the move sent a signal that vulnerable residents would pay the price for budget challenges. Hogg welcomed the planned anti-poverty strategy but said the cuts to domestic abuse services and refugee support were unpopular with residents.
Conservative councillor Peter Graham said the administration was following Government funding guidelines. He stated the council was delivering an alternative package to support families. The council will add £2.1m to its budget to continue projects funded by the cost-of-living reserve until March 2027, including study spaces and Roehampton’s community minibus.
What happens next
Wandsworth Council will develop an anti-poverty strategy, with public consultation planned for autumn 2026. The strategy aims to create a coordinated approach to preventing and responding to poverty. The council expects to adopt it by January 2027. Residents can participate in the consultation once details are announced.
Questions this report answers
+Why is Wandsworth Council closing its cost-of-living reserve?
Wandsworth Council is closing its cost-of-living reserve because the Conservative administration decided to return £6.2m to its financial resilience reserve. The council will use the Government’s Crisis and Resilience Fund instead, as reported by MyLondon.
+What will replace the cost-of-living reserve in Wandsworth?
The Government’s Crisis and Resilience Fund will replace the cost-of-living reserve. Wandsworth Council will receive £3.8m in 2026/27 to fund crisis payments, holiday activities, and pantries at family hubs, according to the council’s report.
+Which support schemes will end in Wandsworth?
Funding for an extra independent domestic violence advocate will end in August 2026. Summer holiday food vouchers for free school meal recipients will also be discontinued. MyLondon reported 767 people signed a petition to continue the vouchers.
+How can residents respond to the changes?
Residents can participate in public consultation on Wandsworth Council’s new anti-poverty strategy, planned for autumn 2026. The strategy aims to be adopted by January 2027, as stated in the council’s report.
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