Thousands of households could be missing out on one-off cash grant worth up to £300 – check if you’re one of them
THOUSANDS of households across the UK could be missing out on a useful one-off £300 cash grant – here’s how to check if you’re one of them.
The major support scheme comes through the government’s Household Support Fund (HSF) and is part of a much wider cost of living package helping many people in Britain.
The scheme works by giving local councils across the UK an amount of cash from a huge pot of funding that sits at a whopping £421million.
Councils are then given the task of fairly dishing out the dough to the Brits who need it most under the watchful eye of the Department for Work and Pensions.
Each local authority gets a different portion of funding depending on the size of the catchment area, population, and number of vulnerable households within it.
The amount on each voucher or grant varies by location, so checking to see what you could be owed is vital.
The latest council advertising the scheme is West Berkshire Council who say they have access to “funding to assist with costs such as energy bills, food, clothing and housing”.
“The Household Support Fund is there to support those most in need.
“Priority will be given to households who are ineligible for other government support and vulnerable groups regarding the cost of living crisis,” the council website said.
There are three options available for locals in West Berkshire ranging from £150 payments to £300 ones.
Families with three or more children are entitled to the Family Household Plus Payment worth the maximum value.
The standard Family Household Payment scheme is for those with one or two kids and can see you pocket £250.
Finally, the Household Payment is worth £150 and goes to those without children but still in need of economical help.
The latest round of payments started to go into bank accounts on April 25.
But they don’t last forever with the final rounds of funding ending on September 30.
To apply, simply follow the link on the West Berkshire Council website to start your application.
You have to answer a number of questions based on your income, bills and family set-up in order to proceed.
West Berkshire Council is also still committed to providing free school meal vouchers during the holidays to children.
Eligible kids will get 4 weeks worth in the summer holidays later this year.
All vouchers will be issued by the child’s school.
Do other councils offer the payments?
To find out if you are eligible to any of the payments you’ll need to check with your council.
Local authorities are the ones in charge of distributing the funding so they handle all of the grant applications.
To find your local council, use the simple gov.uk council finder tool.
Once you’ve clicked on your council, look for information on how to apply for the HSF on its website.
Each council has a different application process and steps you need to take in order to get the grants so exact details can vary.
Some super helpful councils won’t even require you to apply at all and will hand out the funding based on who they see as in need of it most.
If you believe this could be you then your council will contact you about it if you qualify.
If there’s no information on your council’s website, then it’s always best to call them up and ask for more information.
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 £500million funding available to dish out to Brits in need.
It was then extended for a second time in the 2022 Spring Budget and for a third time in October 2022 to help those on the lowest incomes with the rising cost of living.
The DWP then confirmed a fourth extension of the scheme through to March 31, 2024.
Chancellor Jeremey Hunt extended the HSF for the fifth time while delivering his Spring Budget on March 6, 2024.
