Cash for Kids, Bauer Media’s dedicated charity network, has today announced an incredible £1million will be made available to the most vulnerable families in the UK to help with the cost-of-living crisis.

The cash will be given to families via the charity’s Emergency Appeal which was first established in March 2020 at the start of the Covid pandemic. To date the appeal has raised nearly £7.5million (£7,457,770) for disadvantaged children in communities across the UK. This new round of funding will target families in financial crisis, allowing them to apply for Cost of Living Grants of £50 per child which can be used for those basic essentials – food, heating and clothes – that sadly so many families are struggling with today.

The difference these grants make is clearly demonstrated by one Mum in Scotland who received support from the charity last year. The single mum of two boys, one of whom is disabled, admitted that she was ‘constantly worrying and thinking of things we can cut back on to save money to cope with the cost of living and energy. It [the grant] took a lot of pressure off myself, which made me happier, made my kids happier and we were able to just enjoy life for a while.’

Another parent, based in the North East, told the team there: ‘It brought me to tears to think that somebody else that I don’t know, a complete stranger, had helped me and my children. It was really emotional and I was so thankful.’

With nearly 1 in 3 children living in poverty in Britain, Cash for Kids supports our communities’ most vulnerable young people from babies to 18 years old by running a number of initiatives throughout the year driven by Bauer brands including the Hits Radio Network, Absolute Radio, Magic Radio, Take a Break, That’s Life, Grazia, Closer and Total TV Guide.

These campaigns included ‘Mission Christmas 2022’ which recently announced that it had raised £14.1million meaning 286,000 children woke up to a Christmas present they otherwise wouldn’t have had. In total for 2022 the charity is forecast to have raised over £20million.

Sally Aitchison MBE, MD of Cash for Kids said: ‘This year looks set to be another challenging one for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged families in our society who, in such a short space of time, have been hugely impacted – first by the pandemic and now with the cost of living crisis.

We know that our Cost of Living Grants will come as a lifeline to some who are facing a stark choice between heating and eating as the financial crisis continues to bite.

We see and support these families every day and that’s why we wanted to announce something positive for them. And thanks to the incredible generosity of the British public, that’s just what we are able to do with news of this £1million fund today. We know what a huge difference it will make to families across the UK.’

To read more about Cash for Kids and find out if you can help children in your area, head to www.cashforkids.uk.com