Exact date thousands of households must apply for £50 one-off payment to cover food and energy – you need to be quick

THOUSANDS of households have just weeks left to apply for cost of living cash worth £50.

The help comes via the Household Support Fund (HSF) which is worth £421 million.

The fund offers financial help to low-income households who can use the money to pay for their shopping, bills or other essentials.

It was first introduced by the Government in 2021 and has been extended several times since.

Funding is given out to local councils who then distribute it to those most in need in their areas.

That means the support on offer, and who is eligible, varies depending on where you live.

Spelthorne Council in Surrey is handing out one-off payments worth £50 to thousands of households in need.

A maximum of one payment will be made per household and any payments are being made direct into bank accounts.

You will qualify for the £50 cash if you live in the Spelthorne area and receive one of the following benefits:

• Universal Credit
• Working Tax Credit
• Job Seekers Allowance
• Income Support
• Employment Support Allowance (Income related)
• Pension Credit

Those who applied to previous rounds of the HSF should have received the £50 into their bank accounts automatically in July.

However, those eligible who haven’t previously received help have to apply via the council’s website by the end of September 23.

Alternatively, you can phone 01784 446374 and request a paper form.

Can I get help if I don’t live in Spelthorne?

You might be able to. The £421million HSF pot has been shared between councils in England, but not equally.

Each local authority gets to decide its own eligibility criteria.

Some councils started distributing help in April and have already depleted their share, so you might have missed out for now.

The Household Support Fund has been extended multiple times since its inception in October 2021, but that means it may be extended again.

There are currently a number of councils offering help via the HSF.

Tower Hamlets Council is dishing out cost of living cash worth £100.

Meanwhile, Plymouth Council is handing out payments worth up to £740.

If you want to check if you are eligible for help, contact your local council.

You can find what council area you fall under by using the Government’s council locator tool.

How else to get help with the cost of living

If you’re not eligible for the Household Support Fund in your local area, it’s worth checking if you qualify for benefits.

Recent figures from Policy in Practice reveal millions of people aren’t claiming the extra help when they could be.

In total, £23billion went unclaimed over the last financial year, with £8.3billion worth of Universal Credit not claimed for.

You can apply for benefits on the Government’s website.

It’s not just extra money you get from benefits either, with a number opening up additional perks.

Those on Universal Credit can get help covering the cost of childcare, for example, while those on Pension Credit can get a free TV licence.

Those on the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit also qualify for the Warm Home Discount – a yearly £150 discount off energy bills.

You may also be able to get grants to cover your energy bills if you’ve fallen into arrears.

A number of energy firms offer grants to struggling customers, including Scottish Power, Octopus Energy and British Gas.

If you’re struggling to pay your bills, speak to your supplier to see if they can give you any help.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

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