Thousands of households with a council tax reduction can cut their bills by a further £470 with a simple move
THOUSANDS of households who receive a council tax reduction or other form of benefit can apply for a cash grant of £470 pounds or more to help with essential household costs.
Struggling households can claim support to help with the cost of living.
Those living in Falkirk in receipt of a council tax reduction, Housing Benefit, Universal Credit, Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance or Pension Credits can apply for hundreds of pounds in cash support.
Applications for the support can also be made by those on low incomes who would be eligible for Housing Benefit or a council tax reduction if they applied, as well as those who cannot access public funds.
The amount residents can receive depends on the number of people in their household.
A single adult will receive £110, with additional £90 payment made for every further resident.
So, for example, a couple with one child would receive £290, a couple with two dependent children £380 and those with three children would receive £470.
Falkirk Council has confirmed there is no limit to the number of children that can be added to a claim.
Single non-dependants (i.e adult children living with parents or elderly residents living with family members) can also apply for a £90 payment and would be eligible for additional payments if they had dependant children.
Applications can be made here and successful claimants will receive their payments in 10 working days.
Payments can be made into personal bank accounts or through PayPal.
Council tax reductions
If you’re struggling with household expenses, you may be eligible for a council tax reduction (also known as council tax support).
If you meet the criteria of your local authority, you could be in line for a reduction of up to 100%.
Each local authority sets its own criteria for applicants, so it’s a bit of a postcode lottery, but owning your own home or being in employment are not necessarily barriers to receiving support.
The level of support you can receive will depend on where you live, your income, the number of children you have, the benefits you receive, and your savings and pensions.
To check your local council’s policy and apply click here.
If you’re not eligible for a council tax reduction you could still be able to receive a discount through schemes such as the second adult rebate, available if only one person is responsible for paying council tax, or the single person discount, which will reduce your bill by 25%.
Discounts are also available for students, those with learning difficulties or severe mental impairments, or people temporarily away from home.
Support is also available for households in England through the Household Support Fund (HSF).
The HSF offers help to struggling households and has been extended several times since it was introduced in England by the Government in 2021.
Funding is given to local councils to distribute, so the support available varies across the country.
Every council will have received funding from the HSF so if you’re worried about making ends meet, check your local council’s website for further details.
Further support could also be available to help with food costs during school holidays.
To find your local council, use the Government’s council locator tool.
What is the Household Support Fund?
The Household Support Fund (HSF) was first introduced in October 2021 and has been extended five times, to September 2024.
The latest round of funding is worth £421million to councils in England.
Who qualifies and the level of support given is a postcode lottery, as each local authority can set its own criteria for distributing the funds.
However, if you have a limited amount of money or savings in the bank, are classed as vulnerable or are on benefits, you will likely qualify for help.
What support is available
The support provided varies from council to council, so its worth checking the schemes your local council has in place to make sure you receive all the assistance available.
For example, in Hertfordshire funds have also been made available to support households on low incomes facing immediate financial crisis, provide help with energy costs and support food banks.
You can find what council area you fall under by using the Government’s council locator tool on its website.
You don’t need to worry about additional support impacting existing benefits, as these will be unaffected by payments from the HSF.
And, you do not need necessarily need to be in receipt of benefits to receive vouchers or funds from the HSF.
How do you apply?
To get the help, you’ll need to check with your council – as local authorities are in charge of distributing the funding.
Information on how to apply for the funding should be published on your council’s website. Each council will have a different application process.
If there’s no information on your council’s website, then it’s best to ring them up and ask for more information.
What energy bill help is available?
THERE'S a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you're struggling to get by.
If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.
This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.
If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don’t think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
Several energy firms have grant schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.
But eligibility criteria varies depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £1,500.
British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).
The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill, and some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.
Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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