THOUSANDS of households with children and struggling with the cost of living have until March to claim financial support worth £125.
Families can claim cash help through the Household Support Fund, which is allocated by local councils to help with the cost of living.
Those living in Derby could be eligible for financial support in the form of supermarket food vouchers – worth as much as £125 – if their household has children under the age of 19.
The Household Support Fund is a £421million cash sum distributed between constituencies by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to help residents with food and energy costs.
It is up to each council how they wish to split and use their slice of funding.
This year the fund has been extended from October 2024 to March 2025 to help households with dropping temperatures and rising bills over the colder months.
Derby City Council announced they have received an additional £2.225 million of the Household Support Funding which will be distributed accordingly over the next six months.
As one approach, the council declared it would offer one food voucher award to every household which is eligible for the Household Support Fund.
And those who are particularly struggling with more mouths to feed are set to get a fair slice of the portion.
For a household with children under the age of 19, this will be the highest amount, worth £125.
A multiple adult household will be able to claim a food voucher worth £75.
And for a single adult household, eligible applicants can claim £50 worth.
Not only this, Derby City households with children receiving benefit-related free school meals can get free supermarket vouchers to cover the entire October 2024, December 2024 and February 2025 term breaks.
In order to be eligible for food support, you must be in receipt of a council tax reduction or show proof of being in financial difficulty.
To apply, go to Derby City Council’s website where you can find an online food voucher application form.
The form will be open to applications until the end of March 2025, or until all the allocated £500,000 funding runs out.
If you’re struggling to make an application because the form is not working or you cannot access the website, Derby Council is working with multiple community partners across the city to provide shelter points named Warm Welcome Hubs.
Applications typically take 15 days to process – if you or your family need urgent help, the council advises you to contact their food bank Derby Food 4 Thought Alliance.
Another way in which Derby City Council is using its funding to help struggling residents is by offering energy grants to help cover bill costs.
The amount each household can get is unspecified and depends on your individual circumstance.
The council will also send direct automatic payments of £100 to pensioners who are not in receipt of pension credits, but are in a low-income household receiving Council Tax Support or Housing Benefit.
This comes after the Winter Fuel Payments were slashed for pensioners not receiving pension credit in September 2024 – due to what Chancellor Rachel Reeves declared to be a £20 billion “black hole” in public finances”.
Eligible Derby pensioners should expect the £100 compensation for this rule to arrive in bank accounts by February 2025.
The council also stated it would be using the Household Support Fund to offer financial well-being workshops and essential household items to residents which can reduce energy bills.
£421million is being given to local authorities through the Household Support Fund.
Through the fund, vulnerable households can claim support to help with the cost of living.
The funding is supplied from a £421million pot by the Department for Work and Pensions.
It was first introduced in October 2021 and has been extended five times.
Councils get a portion of the cash based on their population, size, catchment area, and need, which they allocate to vulnerable households.
For example, Medway Council in Kent, South-East England, is offering thousands of households supermarket vouchers worth up to £225.
Some could qualify for electronic energy cards or e-vouchers to cover water bills worth £100 too.
Get in touch with your local council to see if you might be eligible for help.
You can find what council area you fall under by using the Government’s council locator tool on its website.
What you can get depends on who your local council is, as well as your personal situation.
But you may be able to get free cash and vouchers to help pay for things like heating your home or to cover costs of your weekly grocery shop.
If an applicant is already receiving benefits, these will not be affected by the HSF.
You also do not need to be getting benefits to receive vouchers or funds from the HSF.
Check with your local council to find out what support is available and the eligibility criteria.
Sun Savers Editor Lana Clements explains what you need to know about the Household Support Fund.
If you’re battling to afford energy and water bills, food or other essential items and services, the Household Support Fund can act as a vital lifeline.
The financial support is a little-known way for struggling families to get extra help with the cost of living.
Every council in England has been given a share of £421million cash by the government to distribute to local low income households.
Each local authority chooses how to pass on the support. Some offer vouchers whereas others give direct cash payments.
In many instances, the value of support is worth hundreds of pounds to individual families.
Just as the support varies between councils, so does the criteria for qualifying.
Many councils offer the help to households on selected benefits or they may base help on the level of household income.
The key is to get in touch with your local authority to see exactly what support is on offer.
And don’t delay, the scheme has been extended until April 2025 but your council may dish out their share of the Household Support Fund before this date.
Once the cash is gone, you may find they cannot provide any extra help so it’s crucial you apply as soon as possible.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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