THOUSANDS of households can get up to £1,000 in free cash direct to their bank accounts.
The help comes via the Household Support Fund (HSF) which is worth £842million.
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The scheme is provided by the Department for Work and Pensions and has been created to help support vulnerable households throughout England.
The pot of cash has been shared between councils in England.
Those councils then decide how to distribute their share of the fund among residents.
That means what you can get depends on where you live but, in most cases, help is offered to households on benefits or a low income.
The last scheme ended in March, but the government confirmed a new round of funding.
Many councils are still finalising details but there are some that are already open for application.
The funding is open to struggling households finding it hard to make payments for energy bills, grocery costs and other essentials.
We’ve asked the council for the exact criteria and will update the piece once we know more, but usually people will need to be on low-income or claiming certain benefits.
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If you received support during the last scheme you can still apply.
For example, residents living in Torridge can get thousands of pounds in support.
There isn’t a set limited on how much people can get, but struggling households could get anywhere between £600 and £1,000.
The amount depends on the individual’s circumstances.
The money will be paid direct into bank accounts and will be paid within 14 working days of application.
However, if for some reason the money cannot be transferred to a bank account, then the council will give the support in vouchers instead.
How do you apply?
To get the help, you’ll need to head to the Torridge Council website and search “household support fund”.
You can then fill in an application form and you’ll hear back from the council on whether it was successful.
If you don’t live in Torridge, check with your local 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.
Can I get help if I don’t live in Torridge?
Yes you can. But the help on offer will depend on where you live.
Councils are distributing their share of the HSF differently.
Some are handing out vouchers, while others are making bank transfers to eligible residents.
The amount you are entitled to will vary depending on the area you live in too.
And some local authorities have already depleted their funds so won’t be in line for help everywhere.
The best thing to do is find out who your local council is and see what their eligibility criteria is for receiving help through the fund.
You can find out what council area you fall under by searching “find my local council” in Google.
Bear in mind that lots of councils haven’t opened the application process for the next round of funding.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
