Those entitled to payments include next-of-kin of those missing or dead and people who required hospital treatment

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Less than a third of the total funds raised for people affected by the Grenfell tower fire has reached victims, as it emerged that almost £3m has been distributed in the past week.

The Charity Commission said £5.8m of the £19m raised has reached survivors, bereaved families and those still displaced from their homes more than two months after the fire. Almost half of the total has been sent to distributing organisations.



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David Holdsworth, registrar of charities in England and Wales, said he was pleased by the sum of money that had so far been disbursed.

“Some challenges still remain but it is important that the charities continue to work with the community and that the remaining funds are made available to meet their short, medium and longer term needs,” he said.

Those entitled to payments include the next-of-kin of those missing or dead, people who required hospital treatment and every household of Grenfell Tower and Grenfell Walk.

Work inside the tower, where at least 80 people died, will be halted over the August bank holiday while the Notting Hill carnival takes place nearby.

The Metropolitan police will place extra officers and protective barriers around the site “to make sure that the security of the Grenfell Tower site is maintained and to protect the many items and memorials that have been placed near to Grenfell Tower”.

A local volunteer said there would also be an increased cordon around the Lancaster West estate, with security passes for residents to get in and out of their homes.

Carnivalgoers are being encouraged to wear “green for Grenfell” in a display of “reverence and respect amid the revelry”, and to refrain from taking pictures with the burned-out shell of the high-rise in the background.

At 3pm on Monday 28 August, the carnival parade will halt and sound systems observe a minute’s silence to mark the tragedy.

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Pepe Francis, chair of the London Notting Hill Carnival Enterprises Trust, said: “The colour green represents renewal, growth and harmony and we feel this sums up the support and respect for the Grenfell community and our neighbours.

“Carnival has been the heart, soul and unifying glue of this community for over half a century. We hope you join us for a peaceful celebration of our community, wear green as a mark of respect and remember the one-minute silence on Monday 28 August at 3pm.”