Fury as vulnerable people miss out on winter crisis payments after council website crashes
Vulnerable people missed out on cost of living crisis payments when Dudley Council's website crashed due to the demand.
Desperate residents tried in vain to apply for a slice of the £390,150 from the Government-funded Household Support Fund, which is administered by Dudley Council, to help those struggling with their winter bills.
The website went live at 5pm last Wednesday but crashed at 7pm after 924 applications - then on Thursday the website worked for just 45 minutes before collapsing under the weight of 952 people applying.
Grants for £300, £250 or £100 were supposed to be available for destitute residents to help them keep up with rising rent, utility bills and the cost of food, which have all rocketed due to recent rampant inflation.
Those who missed out on winter payments will now have to wait until the next allocation in the new year.
Councillor Shaukat Ali, Labour's Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance, is furious that poor families, pensioners, unpaid carers, care leavers, and disabled people trying to cope with the cost of living crisis during the upcoming winter months may miss out on essential financial help.
