People have just over ten weeks to try to claim help from a government fund. The DWP’s Household Support Fund runs until March 31.
Until then, eligible Brits who are struggling to make ends meet may be able to receive an array of support. A total of £421 million was given to county councils and unitary authorities in England last October by the Government to boost the fund for another six months.
Officials allowed local authorities to decide what eligibility criteria to put in place and how to distribute the cash in a bid to ensure that the most vulnerable households in their communities are protected.
For some, like Birmingham, the fund has been translated to cash grants to help households fill the gaps wherever possible such as food, energy and water bills. Others like the Middlesborough Council will be releasing the fund in stages depending on your circumstances.
It’s best to check with your own local authority to see what their eligibility requirements are and how they’ll be distributing the household support fund. This can be done using the Gov.uk’s council checker.
There are a few rules and criteria handed down by the government that all local authorities have to stick to. This includes generally being limited to one payment every 12 months.
Authorities must also ensure that the fund prioritises people need immediate assistance and notes that support can be delivered in various forms including cash grants and vouchers. The Government also listed seven potential ways councils can use the funds to support their vulnerable populations.
With energy bills increasing over the winter period, the government recommended targeting this noting: “This may include support with energy bills for any form of fuel that is used for the purpose of domestic heating, cooking, or lighting, including oil or portable gas cylinders. It can also be used to support water bills including for drinking, washing, cooking, as well as for sanitary purposes and sewerage.”
Food vouchers or cash in kind to cover food bills as well as essentials linked to energy water and food, such as helping with the upfront cost of insulation, energy efficient items and repairing or replacing these, are among the other top recommendations. The support could also come in the form of advice services, helping recipients work through debt, employment or benefit issues where appropriate.
However, this form of support will need to be supplemented as the government advise: “We would expect to see a connection between the funding provided for advice services and the practical support provided under the fund.” Similarly, the preventative support option allows councils to aim the fund at activities providing crisis support for households but the government doesn’t expect “a large portion” of the fund to be used in this way.
The fund can also be used to help with housing costs but authorities are urged to help claimants get this through other routes first if applicable, such as Universal Credit, Discretionary Housing Payments or a Homelessness Prevention Grant. Additionally, government guidance warns the household support fund should not be used “on an ongoing basis or to support unsustainable tenancies”.
Finally, authorities can use the fund to help support “wider essential needs” such as broadband, clothing, hygiene products and transport costs. This category can also include a one-off payment to prevent a crisis. Household Support Fund payments can be targeted to cover just one or several of the above categories.