Coronavirus: Portsmouth to receive more than £6m for social care to free up hospital beds

The local government secretary Robert Jenrick announced on Tuesday that a total of £6,011,540 in hardship funding can be used by the council.

Penny Mordaunt, the MP for Portsmouth North, said the government would ‘do whatever it takes’ to support people throughout the pandemic.

She said: ‘This money is going straight to the city council – this is the first wave of the response with more to follow.

‘This is really to help Portsmouth deal with additional cost for...social care to expand the number of places to move people out of hospital quicker.

‘We need to look after people in community settings both in terms of their healthcare and their social care.

‘We are going to whatever it takes – there are other funds that can be drawn upon to help vulnerable people.’

The council had already begun work to earmark 35 beds at an existing care home to relieve pressure at QA Hospital.

The £6m funding announcement comes as the government confirmed another hardship fund worth £500m will be available for council tax relief for financially vulnerable people and households most affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

Both funds are part of the £5bn package of support announced by chancellor Rishi Sunak earlier this month.