SOME families struggling with the cost of living have just hours left to apply for extra cash from their local council.
The Government has given millions of pounds to local authorities across the country via the Household Support Fund to help residents unable to pay for bills and essentials.
Some councils are offering help with energy bills[/caption]
The pot of £421million has been distributed among the councils, who then decide how to spend the money.
The funds are available until 31 March.
Two councils have said their deadlines for residents to apply for the help are today – meaning those struggling have just hours left to make sure they can get the support.
Westminster City Council is offering supermarket vouchers to older people who are no longer eligible for the Government’s Winter Fuel Payment but are still having difficulties making ends meet.
You may remember the Government scrapped Winter Fuel Payments for those not on Pension Credit this winter.
Therefore the council is providing a Winter Fuel Payment Fund for households still likely to be struggling.
Eligible residents can apply to receive either £200 or £300 worth of supermarket vouchers – but the deadline to get in touch is today so you would need to act fast.
To be eligible you must:
- Be born before 23 September 1958 and no longer eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment
- Be likely to struggle this winter due to the loss of the Winter Fuel Payment
- Have recourse to public funds
- Be a Westminster resident or placed by the council in temporary accommodation outside the borough
- Not receive housing benefit or council tax support (as you will receive direct help and don’t need to apply), Pension Credit or one of the other benefits that would qualify you for a Winter Fuel Payment
Applications can be made through AgeUK Westminster.
You can either contact AgeUK Westminster by phone on 020 3004 5610 between 10am and 2pm or by email at enquiries@ageukwestminster.org.uk.
They will help you to complete a short application form and check you are receiving everything you should be eligible for.
Westminster City Council said it had also sent out vouchers directly to households that are still receiving housing benefit or council tax support despite no longer being eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment.
These vouchers, sent to about 2,000 households, were sent in either November or December.
Households should have received a letter from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) confirming if they are still eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment.
Westminster City Council was allocated £1.9million between October and this month for its Household Support Fund.
The council said it had decided to spend its allocation on help during the holidays for families receiving free school meals, help for vulnerable families and young people, help for older people, and support for food charities.
Meanwhile, residents in Kent have until 5pm today to submit a claim to receive a £100 voucher that can be used to cover food or energy costs.
To be eligible Kent residents must be aged over 16 with a household income of less than £40,000 a year and less than £1,000 in savings.
Successful applicants will receive a £100 voucher via email, which can be redeemed online to cover food or energy costs.
If you don’t live in Westminster or Kent, it’s worth checking your local authority’s website to see if you could be eligible for support.
Eligibility criteria varies depending on where you live, but in most cases you will receive help if you’re on benefits, a low income or classed as vulnerable.
With the Household Support Fund ending on 31 March, some councils have already stopped accepting applications – but others are still allowing residents to apply.
What is the Household Support Fund?
You may be able to claim for support through the Household Support Fund if you’re struggling with the cost of living.
The scheme was first introduced in October 2021 and has been extended five times.
To see if you’re eligible, you should check your local council’s website or get in touch with them directly.
You can find what council area you fall under by using the Government’s council locator tool on its website.
The help you can get varies depending on who your local council is, as well as your personal situation.
Some councils are offering free cash, while others are giving out vouchers to help you pay for energy bills or grocery shopping.
It has not yet been confirmed if a new round of founding will be provided following the closure of the current scheme.
How has the Household Support Fund evolved?
The Household Support Fund was first launched in October 2021 to help Brits pay their way through winter amid the cost of living crisis.
Councils up and down the country got a slice of the £421million funding available to dish out to Brits in need.
It was then extended in the 2022 Spring Budget and for a second time in October 2022 to help those on the lowest incomes with the rising cost of living.
The DWP then confirmed a third extension of the scheme through to March 31, 2024.
Former chancellor Jeremy Hunt extended the HSF for the fourth time while delivering his Spring Budget on March 6, 2024.
In September 2024, the Government announced a fifth extension.
What other help can you get?
If you’re not eligible for help via the Household Support Fund or you’ve missed the deadline, there is still other support available.
For example, if you’re struggling with energy bills there are several energy companies that offer grants to households.
They include British Gas, Octopus Energy and EDF, and they can offer up to £2,000.
New parents might also be eligible for free food worth up to £442 a year to cover the cost of healthy food and milk via the Healthy Start scheme.
You could also get an emergency food parcel from a Trussell Trust food bank.
You can find your nearest via www.trussell.org.uk/emergency-food/find-a-foodbank.
To get a food parcel, you need a voucher from a community organisation like Citizens Advice or your GP.
You can then exchange this voucher for a food parcel at the food bank.
Another option is to check if there are any benefits you are eligible for that you’re not already claiming.
You can do this by using a benefits calculator online, visiting your local Jobcentre or contacting Citizens Advice.
