Households urged to ACT NOW to get free cash towards energy and water bills or miss out as £360million already spent

HOUSEHOLDS are being urged to act now to get free cash towards their energy and water bills in a fresh warning from the DWP.

The support is provided through the Household Support Fund (HSF) scheme, which ends on March 31.

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The DWP is now actively encouraging Brits struggling with their energy, water and other essential bills to contact their local authority and ask about the HSF.

More than £360 million worth of this funding has been used to help households with their energy and water costs between October 2021 and March 2023, according to new DWP figures shared with The Sun.

The support was first launched in October 2021 and has been extended four times since.

Each council gets a different portion of funding depending on the size of the catchment area, population, and need.

Households could get supermarket vouchers or cash grants worth up to £1,000.

But the exact amount you can get will depend on where you live, so you’ll have to check to see what you can get and how your council will pay you.

Some councils will make payouts automatically and others will require you to fill in an application form.

Other councils may use funding from the scheme to help make homes more energy efficient.

For example, Kingston upon Hull Council has used the fund to pay for hundreds of boilers and radiators for hard-up families.

And pensioners in Swindon Borough Council can claim thousands of pounds worth of fuel grants.

You’ll usually need to be on a low income to receive the help.

The government invested £842million into the fourth and final extension of the HSF back in October 2023 but the scheme is due to end March 31.

This means households have just weeks left to access the support available under the scheme.

It’s vital to get your applications in as soon as possible as councils can close their schemes before the March 31 deadline if all funds become allocated beforehand.

For example, Plymouth Council closed applications for its HSF scheme on December 12.

And Kent County Council closes its application process on February 29.

It’s also important to be aware that your local authority may be issuing payments automatically – meaning you don’t need to apply for help.

For example, the Royal Borough of Greenwich is automatically giving out thousands of care leavers £250 grants this month after which the scheme will close.

Jo Churchill MP, minister for employment, said: “The Household Support Fund is there for anyone who needs a helping hand.

“This Fund allows councils to help in all kinds of ways – from providing heating support, like boilers and insulation, to other needs, such as kitchen essentials, free school meals and warm clothing.

“Now inflation has more than halved, and the economy has turned a corner, anyone who feels they need help this winter should contact their local council to find out how this Fund can help them.”

What is the Household Support Fund?

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.

The help you can get varies depending on who your local council is, as well as your own personal circumstances.

But if you’re eligible, you should be able to get free cash and vouchers to help pay for things like heating your home or your weekly grocery shop.

Check with your local council to find out what support is available and the eligibility criteria.

How much can I get?

The exact amount of money available to you through the HSF scheme will depend on your council’s criteria.

For example, Birmingham City Council, the country’s largest local authority, provides cash grants of up to £200 through the HSF scheme for households currently facing financial hardship.

The funds are intended to help with food costs and energy payments.

You must complete an application form by visiting https://hsfbirmingham.online/enquiry/ to join the waiting list.

A team member in your local area will contact you to complete your full application before March 31.

Households living in North Yorkshire need to act before February 21 to secure supermarket vouchers worth up to £450.

If you received a letter telling you that you’re eligible for a payment, you must select your e-vouchers by February 20.

To do this, visit https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/benefits/household-support-fund.

Residents who received housing benefit on, or between, January 26, 2023, and February 25, 2023, but did not qualify for the cost of living payment made in April and May 2023 for people on low-income benefits or tax credits can get £450.

Residents getting the maximum discount to pay their council tax bill through the means-tested council tax reduction scheme, as of August 14, 2023, can get £110.

Support is available for West Northamptonshire residents earning less than £450 per week.

Households that make an application before March 31 could get a cash grant worth £300.

Visit https://www.westnorthants.gov.uk/claiming-benefits/household-support-fund to find out more.

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.

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 for the funding 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 – it’s best to check with your local council for more details.

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 its best to ring them up and ask for more information.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk