THOUSANDS of families looking for extra cash around the holidays could be eligible for £500.
The Household Support Fund, which first launched in 2021, helps Brits pay their way through a cost of living crisis.
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Each council is allocated a certain amount of money to distribute to lower income families, often who make less than £50,000.
For example, Ribble Valley Council has just started accepting new applications for vouchers worth up to £500.
But those eligible are warned that the funds are allocated on a first come first serve basis – meaning the cash won’t last forever.
This round of funding opened on October 2 and applications will close on December 1, meaning you could get cash by Christmas.
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Eligible households who are struggling financially and have a combined household income of less than £50,000 per year can apply for the following:
- £200 for single households
- £300 for households with two or more adults residing
- £500 for households with children
If you think you qualify you can apply online through the Ribble Valey Council website.
However, if you’ve received help from its HSF previously – its first scheme ran from July 1 to September 1 – then you will not be able to apply for this round of help.
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You also won’t receive the help if you are eligible or were previously eligible for the government’s £900 cost of living payments.
It’s important to note that each council has a different process and is in charge of distributing the funding, so you’ll need to check with yours what’s available and how to apply.
To find your local council, use the gov.uk council finder tool.
The funding is worth £842million in England alone, and could help lessen the blow of high costs this winter.
Depending on where you live and your circumstances, some households could be eligible for grants worth up to £1,000.
You may be able to get free cash and vouchers to help pay for things like heating your home or to cover the costs of your weekly grocery shop.
In North Yorkshire, residents must select vouchers by October 24 of this year to receive money.
Meanwhile, Guildford Borough council announced it has already closed its applications for the support fund due to a high volume.
In London, Camden Council will issue supermarket vouchers and has applications open for further assistance.
If an applicant is already receiving benefits, these will not be affected by the HSF.
And, you do not need to be getting benefits to receive vouchers or funds from the HSF.
What other help is out there?
Council tax discount
Many people don’t realise they can get a cheaper council tax bill.
There are a number of discounts you could get, depending on your circumstances.
To apply for any of the below discounts, go through the government website.
If you live on your own, you can get 25% off your council tax bill.
This also applies if there is one adult and one student living together in a property, or if there is one adult and one person classed as severely mentally impaired in the home.
If you live with someone who doesn’t have to pay council tax, such as a carer or someone who is severely mentally impaired, you could get a larger reduction too, of up to 50%.
And, if you live in an all-student household, you could get a 100% discount.
Pensioners may also find themselves eligible for a council tax reduction.
If you receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, you could get a 100% discount.
If not, you could still get help if you have a low income and less than £16,000 in savings.
Grants and hardship funds
You can get a grant from your energy supplier if you’re really struggling and need help paying off debts.
Scottish Power, for example, gives up to £750 per household to the most hard-up households.
Most hardship funds have no deadline and you can apply all year round.
There is no specific eligibility criteria, but most customers who get help are in arrears on their bill.
Healthy Start Vouchers
Healthy start vouchers can help you cover the cost of fresh food and drink for your kids.
If you’re on a low income, the scheme could be worth as much as £442 a year.
Each healthy start voucher is currently worth £4.25 a week, and over a year that adds up to £221.
It’s worth double that if you have a child under the age of one as you’ll be eligible for two vouchers each week, which makes up the £442 maximum.
There used to be paper vouchers, but that has been replaced by a prepaid card, so you’ll get the amounts added to that instead automatically every four weeks.
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Meanwhile, those struggling can apply for a range of schemes that provide free cash, vouchers and more and you could get thousands of pounds – see our full list.
Plus, here is the full list of benefits that don’t qualify for the cost of living payments.
