Households to get cost of living payments of up to £500 this month – how to check if you’re eligible
HOUSEHOLDS across England can get up to a whopping £2,665 worth of cost of living payments this month.
The money comes via the Household Support Fund (HSF) which is worth £421million in total.
The fund has been split up between councils in England who are in charge of distributing their allocation before the end of September.
What you can get depends on where you live, as each local authority has been given its own unique amount.
Now households across England are being offered a collective of £2,665 cost of living payments – with up to £500 per household depending on your location.
The government recently encouraged state pensioners who have just missed out on a Winter Fuel Payment to claim money from the Household Support Fund where they live instead.
Discussing the fund, the government said: “Over a million pensioners will still receive the Winter Fuel Payments, and our drive to boost Pension Credit take up has already seen a 152per cent increase in claims.
“Many others will also benefit from the £150 Warm Home Discount to help with energy bills overwinter while our extension of the Household Support Fund will help with the cost of food, heating and bills.”
Below is a list of councils known to be offering support and how much:
- Brent: £500
- Blackpool: £300
- Rutland: £200
- Herefordshire: £500
- Sunderland: £220
- Bracknell Forest: £315
- Rotherham: £250
- Wiltshire: £200
- Cambridgeshire: £110
You will only receive the payment if you were found to have been eligible after applying.
Anyone who qualifies for help will have received an email telling them.
A maximum of one payment will be made per household and any payments are being made direct into bank accounts.
Some councils started distributing help in April and have already depleted their share, so you might have missed out for now.
The Household Support Fund has been extended multiple times since its inception in October 2021, so it may be extended again though.
There are currently a number of councils offering help via the HSF.
Leicestershire Council is handing out payments worth £300 to thousands of households.
Households in Stockport can claim up to £315 worth of free supermarket vouchers to help with the cost of living.
Meanwhile, Wokingham Council is handing out grants worth up to £140.
If you want to check if you are eligible for help, contact your local council.
You can find what council area you fall under by using the Government’s council locator tool.
How else to get help with the cost of living
If you’re not eligible for the Household Support Fund in your local area, it’s worth checking if you qualify for benefits.
Recent figures from Policy in Practice reveal millions of people aren’t claiming the extra help when they could be.
In total, £23billion went unclaimed over the last financial year, with £8.3billion worth of Universal Credit not claimed for.
You can apply for benefits on the Government’s website.
It’s not just extra money you get from benefits either, with a number opening up additional perks.
Those on Universal Credit can get help covering the cost of childcare, for example, while those on Pension Credit can get a free TV licence.
Those on the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit also qualify for the Warm Home Discount – a £150 discount off energy bills once a year.
You may also be able to get grants to cover your energy bills if you’ve fallen into arrears.
A number of energy firms offer grants to struggling customers, including Scottish Power, Octopus Energy and British Gas.
If you’re struggling to pay your bills, speak to your supplier to see if they can give you any help.
Household Support Fund explained
Sun Savers Editor Lana Clements explains what you need to know about the Household Support Fund.
If you’re battling to afford energy and water bills, food or other essential items and services, the Household Support Fund can act as a vital lifeline.
The financial support is a little-known way for struggling families to get extra help with the cost of living.
Every council in England has been given a share of £421million cash by the government to distribute to local low income households.
Each local authority chooses how to pass on the support. Some offer vouchers whereas others give direct cash payments.
In many instances, the value of support is worth hundreds of pounds to individual families.
Just as the support varies between councils, so does the criteria for qualifying.
Many councils offer the help to households on selected benefits or they may base help on the level of household income.
The key is to get in touch with your local authority to see exactly what support is on offer.
And don’t delay, the scheme has been extended until April 2025 but your council may dish out their share of the Household Support Fund before this date.
Once the cash is gone, you may find they cannot provide any extra help so it’s crucial you apply as soon as possible.