Covid-19: PCC provides emergency funding to support victims of crime most in need

Merseyside’s Police Commissioner has made an emergency grant available to Victim Support, one of the charities she commissions through the Victim Care Merseyside service, to help vulnerable victims of crime that they identify are most in need to buy essential food and hygiene items during the Coronavirus epidemic.

The £2,000 express grant will enable Victim Support to provide supermarket vouchers to victims of crime who are assessed as being in greatest need during the Covid-19 outbreak due to the direct impact of a crime

In the past year, Victim Support has provided 18 victims and 11 families they were supporting with short term emergency financial help, but in light of the Covid-19 outbreak demand on this service has increased. Victim Support also offers food bank vouchers to victims they assess as most in need due to the impact of a crime

Jane Kennedy said: “The global coronavirus pandemic is having a profound effect on so many people in our society and, sadly, it has exacerbated the challenging circumstances experienced by some victims of crime.

“This hardship grant is designed to assist Victim Support in helping those individuals who are in really desperate circumstances to ensure they can access essential food and hygiene supplies.

“Victim Support do a tremendous job ensuring that vulnerable victims get the best possible care and support. Sadly, in some circumstances the people they are caring for really do have very little at the moment. I want to enable Victim Support to ensure that no victim of crime is left without food or essential items.”

Victim Support’s Operations Manager Barbara Oakley said: “This will have a great impact on the services we are able to offer to those who really need it. After experiencing crime and trauma, financial problems just add to the distress. This extra funding will allow us to support those in genuine need when it is direct impact of criminal behaviour.”

If you’ve been affected by crime, please visit www.VictimCareMerseyside.org – a one-stop shop of advice and guidance. It also contains a full directory of organisations that can offer you support to cope and recover.