THOUSANDS of households can get up to £450 in free support – and you don’t have to be on Universal Credit or other benefits.
The support is provided through the government’s Household Support Fund (HSF) scheme and is available across the country.
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But time is running out for people to put in a claim, as the fund is set to close on March 31.
Councils are giving out the cash to struggling households to help them with the rising cost of bills and food.
Each council gets a different portion of funding depending on the size of the catchment area, population, and need.
The vouchers or grants on offer vary by location so you’ll have to check to see what you can get and how your council will pay you.
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The fund is often aimed at those already on low incomes and claiming help.
But you don’t always need to be on benefits or Universal Credit to be eligible for the cash.
There are also some areas offering the help to households who don’t claim support from the government.
We’ve rounded up the councils offering this help – and you could get as much as £650.
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It’s important to remember that what you’re entitled to will depend on where you live.
To get more information on what support is available, and how to get it, you’ll need to contact your local council.
You can find yours using the gov.uk council checker tool.
Manchester – £300
People living in Manchester could be eligible for a free £300 payment from the council.
You can get the cash if you meet the following criteria:
- You’re in receipt of Housing Benefit but no other DWP or HMRC benefits
- Have not had a cost of living payment from the government
If you meet the eligibility criteria you will need to complete an application to get a payment.
As part of the application process, the council will perform checks to ensure you were not entitled to the Cost of Living Payments, and this may involve asking you for bank statements.
If your application is successful you’ll get the money through to your bank account.
Stockton-on-Tees – £300
Households in the Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council catchment area can get up to £300 worth of help.
If you’re on a low income and don’t receive a Council Tax Reduction, then you might be eligible for support – but there are certain criteria you have to meet.
You can apply if no members of your household have received the government’s cost of living support payment and your total net income doesn’t exceed more than £600 for a family.
If you think you may be eligible, you can apply on the council’s website.
Care leavers aged 18 to 25 will also receive a voucher worth £75.
Calderdale – £450
Residents in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, are set for a one-off £50 payment.
The free cash will be given to families on housing benefit, and/or Council Tax reductions or free school meals.
Calderdale Council began contacting eligible families in January, but households can still register for payment if they think they’re eligible.
The deadline for applications is Thursday, February 29.
Households with a disabled marker on the council’s welfare and benefits system should receive a £50 payment this month too.
Payments will begin on February 19 and be staggered throughout week.
Calderdale Council has also set up a Discretionary Hardship Scheme (DHS) as part of its fund.
Households who don’t get any extra cost of living support from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) can get up to £450.
To apply, you must provide your last two bank statements for all of your accounts, and your partner’s.
North Yorkshire Council – £450
People who live in the North Yorkshire Council area can get a £450 e-voucher to help with food and other essential costs.
The authority said it has sent out letters to all eligible households with information on how to use the e-voucher.
The payment will be made to households who received housing benefit between August 18, 2023 and September 17, 2023, but didn’t qualify for the government’s cost of living payment.
Eligible households will get a single e-voucher payment to pay for food and other essentials over the coming months.
The nine different supermarkets eligible people can choose from are:
Only Asda, Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose offer both in-store and online shopping options for those with an e-voucher.
Blackburn
People who live in the Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council area can get free cash to help towards energy and water bills as well as other costs.
Household support may be available for:
- Blackburn with Darwen residents, children, families and adults
- Single income household with a total annual household income below £26,057
- Households with a total annual income below £38,870
To be eligible you must have less than £16,000 in savings.
You must be able to provide evidence of your total household income in the form of wage slips and bank statements, showing your name and address and upload these to your application.
If you have applied previously under the previous “income-related benefits” criteria you will not be eligible to apply again.
The council hasn’t specified how much will be on offer to each household but it will be allocated on a case by case basis.
Head over the the Blackburn with Darwen council website to apply and for more information.
Burnley
Households in Burnley could also receive extra support depending on their circumstances.
The council hasn’t specified how much will be on offer to each household but it will be allocated on a case by case basis.
To qualify for Burnley Council’s Household Support Fund, you must live in the Borough of Burnley and fall into one of the following groups:
- You cannot apply if you or someone in your household received a household support fund payment or post office voucher from the council in the last 12 months.
- You must be aged 16 or over
- You must be experiencing financial hardship and struggling to afford essential items or living costs
- You must willing to engage with other support agencies such as Citizens Advice, Christians Against Poverty and Burnley Together
- You do not need to be on benefits to apply, but your savings must be less than £2000.
If you think that you could be eligible, you’ll need to fill in an application form on the council’s website.
Chorley
Residents in Chorley are being offered help with short-term living costs such as food, energy and essential items.
Citizens Advice Lancashire West is partnering with Chorley Council to support residents who are struggling with electricity, gas, and water costs.
Priority is being given to households who are not on benefits and not in receipt of the cost of living payments distributed by the DWP.
How much you get depends on your circumstances and is being distributed in “small amounts”.
To apply, please complete the online application on our website via the link below, once received the council will send you a secure link to upload your bank statement.
Further information is provided within the link for those unable to complete the online application or upload their bank statement.
The council hasn’t specified how much will be on offer to each household but it will be allocated on a case by case basis.
City of York
Households who are struggling to meet their living costs could be entitled to help from the City of York council.
The authority has said the amount of support available will vary from case to case.
To be considered, you must need urgent financial assistance and not have enough income or savings to meet your living costs.
Families with children of all ages, pensioners, unpaid carers and disabled people are all welcome to apply.
But those in the following groups have been identified as priority:
- Disabled people, including children
- Carers
- People with health conditions that are affected by the cold, such as COPD, severe asthma, cardiovascular disease, sickle cell anaemia
- Pensioners
- Single adult households with high energy, rent or mortgage costs
If you’re found to be eligible, you could get help with any of the following:
- Food
- Energy bills – electricity, gas, oil
- Water bills (including sewerage)
- Other essential costs linked to energy or water
- Support with other bills including broadband or phone bills, clothing, and essential transport-related costs such as repairing a car, buying a bicycle, or paying for fuel
- Some exceptional housing costs
If you think you meet any of the criteria, you can apply for the support on the council’s website.
What other help is available?
British Gas, Octopus Energy and EDF are some of the major companies that offer help.
Eligibility requirements vary depending on the firm, but you’ll usually have to provide evidence you’re in energy debt or facing fuel poverty.
The Government classes fuel poverty as when a household has to spend a “high proportion” of its income to keep the temperature at a reasonable level.
It’s worth checking if you qualify for benefits too, after the latest figures from analytics company Policy in Practice revealed £19billion worth of support goes unclaimed each year.
There are several free online calculators you can use to find out what you might be eligible for:
Not only could claiming benefits see you earn extra money from the benefits themselves, it could help you qualify for the £299 cost of living payment.
Meanwhile, anyone who pays for their energy with a prepayment meter might be able to get a fuel voucher to top up.
It comes via the Fuel Bank Foundation which provides emergency fuel vouchers to households in danger of running out of credit.
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They are worth £49 in the winter and £30 in the summer months, when the demand for heating is lower.
You can apply through your local council, which you can find using the Government’s council locator tool.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories.
This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk
