Thousands of households can now apply for a cost of living payment worth up to £70 – are you eligible?
THOUSANDS of households can now apply for a free £140 cost of living payment.
The cash support is available through the government’s Household Support Fund.
The scheme works by handing councils up and down the country a slice of funding available to dish out to Brits in need.
Each local authority gets a different proportion of funding depending on the size of the catchment area, population, and number of vulnerable households.
The voucher or grant amounts vary by location, so you must check to see what you can get and how your council will pay you.
The national scheme was renewed for the fifth time in April 2024, and more and more councils are beginning to share their local scheme’s criteria.
For example, thousands of residents in Middlesborough could be eligible for a £140 cash grant.
To be eligible, you must:
- Be liable for the Council Tax, rent, or mortgage for a property in Middlesbrough, and live at that property
- Have less than £6,000 in savings
Thousands of households who receive benefits AND have children have already been paid cash grants but thousands of other households can now apply for the free cash.
Households who get any of the following benefits and don’t have children could be eligible:
- Council tax reduction
- Income-based employment and support allowance
- Housing benefit
- Income support
- Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
- Pension credit
- Tax credit
- Universal Credit
If your application is approved, you’ll get a voucher for:
- £37.50 if you’re single
- £50 if you’re a couple
Households who do not get benefits can also apply if they have an income (before tax) of:
- £30,000 or less if you’re single
- £50,000 or less if you’re a couple
These households will also need to have savings less than £6,000 in total.
How much you get will depend on who’s in your household.
If you’re single, you’ll get a voucher for £37.50.
If you’re a couple, you’ll get a voucher for £50.
If there are children in your household, you’ll get a voucher for £70 per child rather than the amounts above.
This is the same whether you’re single or a couple.
This means if you have two children, you could be eligible for two £70 cash vouchers worth £140 in total.
To apply for the local authority’s Household Support Fund visit www.middlesbrough.gov.uk/benefits-and-support/support-payments/household-support-fund.
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.
What if I don’t live in Middlesborough?
To get the help, you’ll need to check with your council – as local authorities are in charge of distributing the funding.
To find your local council, use the gov.uk council finder tool.
Once you’ve found your council, there should be information on how to apply on its website.
Each council will have a different application process – so exact details on how to apply will vary depending on where you live.
That means that the eligibility requirements to access the fund could also vary.
Some councils won’t require you to apply for the help and they’ll contact you about it instead if you qualify.
If there’s no information on your council’s website, then it’s best to ring them up and ask for more information.
What are other councils offering?
Residents in Blackpool can receive up to £300 in support from the Household Support Fund.
Those living in Bracknell Forest could be eligible for a £315 cash grant.
Low-income households in Cambridgeshire can apply for a financial award of £110 per household.
Those living in Falkirk in receipt of a council tax reduction, housing benefit, Universal Credit, income support, jobseekers allowance or pension credit can apply for up to £470 in cash support.
Rutland County Council will provide one payment of £200 to care leavers this month.
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 £2,000.
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.