THOUSANDS of households across the UK can now claim hundreds of pounds worth of free cash, household appliances, and help with energy bills under the extended Household Support Fund.
The Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed that the scheme will continue to run from April 1, 2024, through to March 31, 2025, offering assistance to those struggling with the Cost of Living.
Some councils may provide direct cash payments, while others issue vouchers to help cover essentials like energy or food.
How the money is distributed will vary, so it's important to check with your local authority.
For example, Birmingham City Council has announced £200 payments to help residents with winter costs.
Other councils, like Coventry, have offered community supermarket schemes, where households can pay £5 a week and get a basket of food worth up to £25.
However, there are changes to the scheme this time around.
Some councils have introduced monthly caps on funding, meaning once the allocated amount for the month is spent, applications are paused until the following month.
This is to ensure that everyone has a chance to receive support, but it does mean you should apply as soon as possible.
If you’re struggling to make ends meet due to rising living costs, you could be eligible for support.
You’ll likely need to prove your financial hardship when applying.
This can include showing evidence of your income, benefits, or other forms of support you’re currently receiving.
For example, if you’re receiving Universal Credit or a council tax reduction, you could qualify.
But even if you’re not on benefits, you may still be able to get help if you can demonstrate financial hardship.
How to Apply
Applications for the Household Support Fund are handled by your local council, and the process can vary depending on where you live.
Most councils offer online application forms, but if you need help completing an application, you can call your council’s customer service centre for assistance.
To apply, you’ll need to provide details such as your National Insurance number and may need to submit bank statements or benefit evidence.
If you’re applying for a family member or someone else, there’s also an option to upload supporting documents like benefit letters or pay slips to prove eligibility.
Some councils, such as Haringey, are issuing automatic payments to eligible residents, while others require residents to apply directly.
If you’re unsure of the process in your area, it’s best to check your local council’s website.
What Support Is Available?
The support available through the Household Support Fund can vary depending on where you live, but most councils offer help with energy bills, food support, and household essentials.
Single people or couples without children can receive up to £120, while families may be eligible for £160.
Households can also get help with essential items like fridges, cookers, and bedding if there’s an exceptional need, such as a medical condition or a risk to a child’s wellbeing.
But it’s not just energy and food that the fund can help with.
If you need support with heating repairs, lighting repairs, or even housing costs in an emergency, the Household Support Fund may be able to help, as long as other housing schemes have been exhausted.
Finding Out More
To find out what support is available in your area, you can use the government's local authority checker on the gov.uk website.
Simply enter your postcode, and you’ll be directed to your council’s website, where you can find more details about the fund.
It’s worth noting that some councils are experiencing high demand for the scheme, so you may face delays in receiving your award.
For instance, vouchers for fuel support are currently taking between 5-10 working days to be issued, while applications for household appliances can take 4-6 weeks.
Don't Miss Out
So, if you’re finding it tough to make ends meet, don’t miss out on this lifeline.
Apply through your local council today and see what help you can get to ease the burden of rising living costs this winter.
Additional Resources
Here are some helpful resources to determine if you qualify for additional benefits:
- Charity Turn2Us' benefits calculator works out what you could get.
- Entitledto's free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
- MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data.
- You can use Policy in Practice's calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
Further Support in Cumberland
RESIDENTS and families in the Cumberland area that are struggling financially are being encouraged to take advantage of the recently extended Household Support Fund.
Last month the Government announced that a further extension to the Household Support Fund would run from September until March 2025.
It means that residents may be able to get help with essential costs from the fund which could help if they are struggling to afford things like:
- energy and water bills
- food
- essential items
- heating repairs
- lighting repairs
- housing costs in an emergency
Cumberland Council has been given a total of £2,167,439.16 in Government funding to administer the scheme and councillor Lisa Brown (Currock, Labour), the adults and community health portfolio holder, said it was good news for residents.
She added: "It's really, really good news, because we have been able to really think about how we get money directly to people.
"In this instance we are continuing Ways To Welfare but we are also doing other things like giving money to credit unions to support people, giving more money to Citizens Advice to be able to distribute, and giving some to Cumbria Community Foundation to support the pensioners that can't claim winter fuel allowance."
Cllr Brown said the initiative had been revised and added: "The Government has extended the Household Support Fund for Cumberland residents and given us around £2.1 million to distribute to residents across Cumberland.
"It's a new programme rather than an extension of the last five Household Support Fund schemes, so it has got new grant conditions so it is considered as a new programme for winter to support our residents across Cumberland."
She said that more information was available on the council's website and added: "I am sure the organisations involved will now start advertising ways that people can get support over the winter."
Funding Distribution in Cumberland
The funding has been given to the following areas within the council:
- Ways to Welfare: £1,117,439.16
- Credit Unions: £250,000
- Citizens Advice: £200,000
- Cumbria Community Foundation: £200,000
- Internal Council Teams: £400,000
Funding has been distributed externally to the following organisations:
- Cumbria Community Foundation
- Citizens Advice
- Credit Unions
- Cumbria Action for Sustainability
The decision report states: "The funding will be distributed in compliance with the grant conditions and guidance for county councils and unitary authorities in England."
For further information visit the Cumberland Council website and search for Household Support Fund.
Cheshire West and Chester Council's Support
Cheshire West and Chester Council has been allocated £2.3 million from the Household Support Fund to distribute funding, in accordance with the guidance issued by the Department of Work and Pensions, to vulnerable residents struggling with the current cost of food and fuel costs.
The funding will run until the end of March next year.
The Council has published a Member Decision Notice, setting out a decision to be made on or after 17 October, which would then be subject to the usual rules on ‘call in’ (which will expire at 5pm on 22 October). This Notice includes plans to issue a £200 payment to low-income pensioner households. The Council will use data from the Council Tax Reduction Scheme and Housing Benefit records to identify pensioner households not in receipt of Pension Credit, but on a low income.
Cabinet Member for Legal and Finance, Councillor Carol Gahan said:
"The Council plans to use this funding to support households in the most need with food, energy and water bills or essential costs related to those items and with wider essential costs. In cases of genuine emergency, we are able to use the funding to support housing costs where existing housing support schemes do not meet this exceptional need.
"As part of the funding distribution, residents will have the opportunity to apply for support via the Council’s HELP service. Cash payments can be made, via this route, to anyone meeting the eligibility criteria of the Household Support Fund scheme, which is not limited to just households in receipt of a low-income benefit. This will provide an opportunity for households who are just over the income threshold for benefits, to apply for additional support."
The latest guidance for this fund is very similar to the previous guidance issued for the last round of Household Support Funding (HSF5), although there is an additional request that funding is seen to be delivering provisions which have a long-term, sustainable impact. The Council is currently reviewing supplier options to help support a programme of Income Maximisation which will enable it to target the borough’s most financially vulnerable residents and ensure they are claiming the levels of support to which they are entitled.
Further information will be provided on the Council’s website once a decision has been made.
Key Takeaways
- The Household Support Fund is a government scheme designed to help households in financial difficulty.
- Each local council receives a portion of the fund and has the discretion to distribute it to residents based on need.
- The scheme offers support with energy and water bills, food, essential items, and in some cases, housing costs in emergencies.
- You can apply for support through your local council's website or customer service centre.
- If you're struggling with the cost of living, don't miss out on this lifeline. Apply today and see what help you can get.
It's important to note that the availability and specific details of the Household Support Fund can vary depending on your local council. Always check your local council's website for the most up-to-date information and eligibility criteria.
