Kensington & Chelsea residents not given £3,000 for weekend trip to avoid Notting Hill Carnival

A post on Twitter, now known as X, that has been shared more than 800 times says: “Is anybody aware that every year when [Notting Hill carnival] is on the HOME OWNERS of Kensington & Chelsea borough are given £3k per household to go away for the weekend because of the “inconvenience” carnival brings them. Ever since I found out I’ve been flabbergasted.”

This council told us this is not the case.

There is a scheme run by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in collaboration with Age UK, in which older residents on the carnival route can apply to go on a free seaside break.

What does the break include?

Eligible older residents who get a place on the trip are taken to a hotel in Eastbourne by coach and stay in a hotel there between Saturday 26 August and Tuesday 29 August, while the Notting Hill Carnival takes place.

The council says: “Priority will be given to residents who meet the eligibility criteria and who have not been on the trip before and whose health may be affected by the noise and crowds of Carnival.”

There is no mention of the scheme only being open to homeowners. An article in MyLondon says “anyone living 'within the Carnival footprint' and who is over 65 and is severely affected by the festival is eligible for a spot”, with priority given to residents who have not been on the trip before and are willing to share a room. Consideration is also given to those whose health might be affected by the noise and crowds of the carnival. 

How much does it cost?

This year’s trip to Eastbourne will cost the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea council £31,000, a spokesperson told Full Fact. 

They said: “This year 42 residents are going on the trip but this isn’t a simple division for cost per person as that sum also includes care for people who need it, including carers from Age UK to attend the trip with residents, a donation to the charity and travel.”

The council called the £3,000 figure “nonsense” and said it had no such scheme where residents are paid to leave the borough for the weekend.

According to the council, the programme has been running for over 20 years. East Sussex local paper The Argus said last year was the sixth time the council has worked with Age UK on the project.

In 2014, BBC London News filmed with the group going that year, showing them stopping at a garden centre on the way, playing bingo and watching a singer in their hotel.

Full Fact has contacted Age UK for comment and will update this piece if they respond. 

Notting Hill Carnival also takes place in the City of Westminster borough, and that council told Full Fact it doesn’t pay any residents to leave or provide any trips away during the carnival weekend.

Image courtesy of Glodi Miessi