Household Support Fund (HSF)

October 2024 - March 2025 scheme

We have been allocated £4.6 million to provide support to low income and vulnerable households who may be struggling with their energy and food costs, or who need other essential household items. Funding covers the period between 1 October 2024 to 31 March 2025 and is in addition to our fun and food that runs during the main school holidays.

Household Support Fund 6 (HSF6) is a type of discretionary support, rather than being a legal entitlement. This means that awards are subject to the scheme having available/remaining funding.

The funding is being allocated directly to eligible households or through partner organisations which include local charities and voluntary groups.

Examples of how the funding is being used:

• A payment of £70 to eligible young people in education establishments in receipt of free school meals. You do not need to apply for this, and payments will be made by voucher through your education provider. Vouchers will be distributed during December.
• Funding for local organisations to help residents with food and energy bill support.
• Support for kinship carers and care leavers, you do not need to apply for this support. The kinship carer and care leavers team will communicate with you regarding payments.
• Support to households of pensionable age who are in receipt of means tested local council tax reduction who are no longer eligible for a winter fuel payment i.e. you are not in receipt of Pension Credit. Households that were eligible for the support on 1 December 2024 will receive a direct award after 15 January 2025 of £150 for a couple and £100 for a single person. You do not need to apply, awards will be issued through a post office voucher. Please note this does not include households who have a reduction in their council tax due to single person occupancy or because of someone being severely mentally impaired unless there is an additional reduction due to the level of your income.

Do I need to apply for HSF6

You will not normally need to apply, as you are either automatically identified or will access the support through a specific partner. If you have not received support through these routes, there may be help available through our application fund.

Application fund 

The application process is to support households on low income with the cost of living when you are experiencing a regular household income deficit. Only households in receipt of Council Tax Reduction can apply for support from our application fund. 

Support will vary for eligible households depending on your situation and will be subject to financial checks. Any support offered will include the requirement to be referred to our partner organisations to assist with longer term support, for example, money and debt advice, budgeting support, maximising income as well as appropriate short term support with food and fuel.

The online application process is not for help with food and fuel due to an immediate crisis. If you require support with food and/or fuel due to a crisis, you must apply through our Welfare assistance scheme. 

To be eligible for support you must:

• be a permanent resident in our area and
• be over the age of 16 and be responsible for the council tax liability and
• be in receipt of Council Tax Reduction and
• not have a child who is eligible for free school meals. (If your child is in receipt of free school meals you will receive a payment this financial year from the Household Support Fund as detailed above.) and
• be experiencing ongoing financial hardship and
• not be a care leaver or kinship carer - a separate scheme will support these groups and
• not have received a payment from the Household Support Fund from any other source

As part of the application process, you will be required to provide evidence of your full household income and expenditure, including copies of bank statements for all your bank accounts and to agree to a referral to one of our partner organisations for ongoing support. 

Struggling with food and/or fuel costs

If you are struggling to afford enough food and/or fuel please apply to our Welfare assistance scheme. 

Information on where to get help with your money, including family finances, food and household bills, housing, benefits and debt can be found on our Help with your money page.

Other cost of living support

HSF6 is a small part of the overall support that the government is providing to households. Further information on the support available to help you with the cost of living, including income and disability benefits, bills and allowances, childcare, housing and travel can be found on the Government's cost of living hub Gov.uk: Cost of living support.