Households being handed £300 cost of living cash NOW – are you eligible?
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
MILLIONS of households will soon be able to get their hands on £300 worth of cash to help with the cost of living.
The help comes as part of the Government's Household Support Fund, and aims to aid those who are most vulnerable.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
1
Close up of a pile of ten pound British Sterling notes
Credit: Getty
The scheme has been extended a number of times, with the latest round of payments running between April 2025 and March 2026.
Each council in England is allocated a portion of the £742 million fund, which it then distributes to residents struggling with the rising cost of living.
Eligibility criteria varies based on where you live but usually help is offered to those on benefits or a low income.
Thousands of households in West Berkshire will soon be able to benefit from the scheme, after the local council was allocated a chunk of the fund.
The money will be used to give eligible households £300 to help them with the rising cost of living.
Low income families with three or more children will receive a maximum of £300, while families with one to two children will be offered up to £250.
Others will receive a maximum of £150.
West Berkshire Council will also provide free school meal vouchers during the holidays.
Eligible children will receive a total of three weeks of support to cover the holiday period and February half term.
Vouchers will need to be collected at the child's school.
Disability benefit explained - what you can claim
The fund will also go towards supporting pensioners via targeted assistance.
Eligible residents can apply to get their hands on some of the money via the council's form.
What If I Don't Live In West Berkshire?
The £742million Household Support Fund has been shared between all councils in England.
So, if you don't live in West Berkshire but are struggling financially or are on benefits you will likely be eligible for help.
Household Support Fund explained
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 £742million 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.
The current round runs until the end of March 2026.
This is because the fund was originally set up to help those on low incomes or classed as vulnerable.
What type of help you can get will vary but it could range from a free cash payment to supermarket vouchers.
It's worth bearing in mind, because the new round of the HSF has only just opened, you might not be able to apply for help yet.
However, it's worth keeping an eye on your local council's website or social media channels.
Most councils have pages on their websites dedicated to their HSF as well.
You might be able to find it by typing in the name of your council then "Household Support Fund" into Google search.
You may have to apply for help through the HSF or you may be contacted directly by your council.
Some local authorities send letters to your home to let you know about next steps you need to take.
Other help if you're on a low income
It's worth checking if you're eligible for benefits if you haven't already - it could boost your bank balance by thousands of pounds a year.
If you're struggling with the cost of food, check where your nearest food bank is, to help you get cupboard staples for less.
The Trussell Trust has hundreds of food banks across the UK, and you can find your nearest one here - trussell.org.uk/emergency-food/find-a-foodbank.
Meanwhile, if you have fallen behind on your energy bills, you might be able to get a grant to wipe any debt.
British Gas and Octopus Energy, the UK's two biggest energy firms, both run schemes offering customers grants worth up to £2,000.
You might be able to apply for a free grant through a local charity as well.
Charity Turn2Us has a free-to-use grants search tool on its website which you can find here - grants-search.turn2us.org.uk.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Guardian
16 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
John Swinney: It's in Scotland's interest I meet Donald Trump
John Swinney said he had an 'obligation' to 'protect and promote' Scotland. He said there would be an opportunity during his meeting to discuss tariffs, Gaza and Ukraine. Mr Swinney will meet the Republican politician later this month when he is expected to visit his golf courses in Aberdeenshire and Ayrshire. Mr Trump will also meet Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in Aberdeen, he has said. Speaking during a visit to Rutherglen, the First Minister said Scots would expect him to meet a US president visiting Scotland. He told the PA news agency: 'I've taken a decision that's in Scotland's interest to meet with the president of the United States so that I can use every opportunity to protect and to promote the interests of the people of Scotland. 'There's obviously a range of issues that we can cover around the international situation that's causing such anxiety to people in Scotland, around the situation the Middle East, and the situation in Ukraine, and the domestic issues that are important to us around about the implications of, for example, trade and tariffs on some of our key sectors, including Scotch whisky. 'So I think people in Scotland would expect their First Minister to meet with the president of the United States to put forward Scotland's position.' Earlier this week, Mr Trump said he would go to Aberdeen, which he said was the 'oil capital of Europe'. 'They have so much oil there,' he said. 'They should get rid of the windmills and bring back the oil. '[Because] the windmills are really detrimental to the beauty of Scotland and every other place they go up.' Asked about those comments, Mr Swinney said he supported renewables in Scotland, which he said was key to the future of the country. He said: 'There's going to be different views expressed by different political leaders, and I'm a supporter of renewable energy. 'I think it's important that we use the opportunities that we have in Scotland to capture the natural and sustainable energy that surrounds us and it's all around us, and we should take those opportunities, which the Scottish Government has done in a sustainable way. 'We've got to protect the planet. We've got to protect our communities, and that's at the heart of the Government's agenda in Scotland.' The Scottish Greens, who were previously in Government with the SNP, have criticised the First Minister for his plans to meet the president. Co-leader Patrick Harvie said the meeting was 'tragic' and 'out of step with Scotland's values'. But Mr Swinney defended the decision, saying: 'The people of the United States have elected their president, and that's their choice, and he's coming to visit Scotland. 'And I think for me, my obligation of what members of the public would expect of their First Minister is for me to engage with the leader of the United States to protect and to promote the interests of Scotland.' On Wednesday, the Scottish Secretary also defended Mr Swinney's decision to meet Mr Trump, along with Sir Keir's decision, saying it was 'the right thing to do'. Ian Murray praised the Prime Minister for putting in a 'lot of effort' to 'cultivate' a relationship with the president. He said US tariffs and the situation in Ukraine could be on the agenda for the discussions. He said: 'At this stage we have no sight of what the president's programme is, but we do know the First Minister and the Prime Minister will meet him, and it is right for them both to do so.' He said the meetings were 'the right thing to do because those relationships are incredibly important in terms of our own national interest'. He added: 'We should make sure we are working very closely with our allies for the benefit of Scotland and the whole of the United Kingdom.'
Western Telegraph
19 minutes ago
- Western Telegraph
Ministers trying to drum up interest in Alexander Dennis orders, says Robison
The bus manufacturer is currently consulting on proposals to close operations in Scotland and move to a single site in Yorkshire due to financial concerns, with 400 jobs potentially at risk. Appearing before MSPs last month, Alexander Dennis managing director Paul Davies said the decision was not a 'done deal', but the company would need to see a significant rise in bus orders – between 70 and 100 by the end of the year and 300-400 next year – to remain open. In a letter to Colin Smyth, the convener of Holyrood's Economy and Fair Work Committee, Finance Secretary Shona Robison said the Government is committed to looking at 'all viable options' and ministers are working with private bus companies. The Finance Secretary has written to the Economy and Fair Work Committee (Jane Barlow/PA) 'I agree about the importance of securing a short-term pipeline of orders,' she said. 'Please be assured that we are therefore liaising with commercial bus operators and local transport authorities to establish the current demand for double-deck buses in Scotland and are working alongside UK Government to identify demand in other parts of the UK. 'I am in full agreement with you about the importance of Alexander Dennis to Scotland and of retaining the jobs of the highly-skilled workers. 'That is why we are continuing to work at pace with Scottish Enterprise and UK Government, and alongside the company and trade unions, to explore all viable options to support ADL to retain bus manufacturing in Scotland.' Alexander Dennis could close its operations in Scotland (Andrew Milligan/PA) Ms Robison also suggested ADL could be forced to pay back money it has been given by the Government's commercial arm Scottish Enterprise for skills and technological development, though it would be for the agency to decide how to proceed. The Finance Secretary also stressed the issues the Government faces due to UK-wide state aid regulations, which govern the level to which ministers can intervene in private businesses. She said the Subsidy Control Act does not allow for subsidies which enforce the use of domestically-made goods and services, which would hamper the Scottish Government's efforts to force bus firms to use Alexander Dennis. 'Scottish ministers and officials consistently make representation on the development of the subsidy control regime for the benefit of Scottish businesses,' she said. 'However, as this is a reserved matter, it is ultimately for UK Government to make the final decision on any changes to the regime.'
South Wales Guardian
35 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Labour ‘only just getting started' says Starmer as he faces ‘tax raid' questions
The Prime Minister said he would not 'write the budget months out' from the autumn, after Kemi Badenoch alleged the Treasury could introduce a pensions levy. Reflecting on his first year in Downing Street, Sir Keir told the Commons that Labour MPs will 'happily' face their constituents during the summer recess, which begins next week. He claimed the Government had already paved the way for 4.5 million extra NHS appointments and added: 'So we're going to tell our constituents that, then we're going to tell them about the free school meals we're rolling out, free breakfast clubs, the free childcare and school uniform costs. We'll tell them about that. 'And then when we've done that, we'll move on to affordable houses and tell them about the £39 billion we're investing. When we've finished that, we'll tell them about the rail and road upgrades across the country with a £120 billion investment and, of course, the three trade deals. 'And, Mr Speaker, we're only just getting started.' Sir Keir was responding to Mrs Badenoch during their final Prime Minister's Questions exchange before the recess, after the Conservative leader said: 'It's the end of term, so why don't we go through his end-of-term scorecard? The economy is contracting; inflation, highest in the G7; unemployment up every month under this Government; spending out of control, borrowing costs more expensive than Greece, and this is just the first year.' She also told MPs: 'The fact is, this summer, they're going to have to go to their constituents and explain why they've been making such a mess over the last 12 months. 'And isn't (it) the case that the worst – given that this is just their first year – the worst is yet to come?' Mrs Badenoch had earlier pressed Sir Keir to describe a 'modest income'. Referring to a rise in inflation to 3.6% in June, up from 3.4% in May, she said: 'We just heard that inflation is up again, the worst in the G7. 'We left him with 2% inflation. We have borrowing up, unemployment up, taxes are up under his Government. 'The fact is, the Prime Minister doesn't get it, so let me tell him: his budget last year had high taxes. That's why the economy is contracting. 'But the Government has said that they won't put up taxes for people on modest incomes, but they also seem incapable of explaining who is in that category. 'So can the Prime Minister clear up the confusion and tell us what he thinks a modest income is?' Sir Keir replied: 'I think of the working people across this country who put in every day and don't get back what they deserve, and that's who we're working for. That's who we're fixing the country (for). 'The sort of people that work hard but haven't necessarily got the savings to buy themselves out of problems. 'And that's who we're working for, and that's why we put the national living wage up, that's an extra £1,400.' He added: 'We know exactly who we're working for. She comes here every week and just talks the country down.' Mrs Badenoch denied that and added: 'I'm talking him down.' She said: 'The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Darren Jones) said that working people are people who don't get a pay slip, but millions of self-employed people don't get a pay slip. So are the self-employed next in line for a Labour tax raid?' The Prime Minister replied: 'The self-employed were the very people who suffered under their watch, repeatedly suffered under their watch, particularly, if I remember, during Covid, when they didn't get the support that they needed. But she talks the country down. She cherry picks.' Mrs Badenoch said the Government is 'considering taxing' pension contributions and asked: 'Does the Prime Minister agree with me that a tax on pension contributions is a tax on working people?' The Prime Minister described his party's manifesto commitments made last year as 'absolutely clear' and said: 'I'm not going to write the budget months out.' He continued: 'I'm proud of the decisions that we took to invest in our NHS, to invest in our public services, all the decisions that they opposed. And it's no wonder that after a first year of a Labour Government business confidence is (at) a nine-year high. That's longer than she's been in government.' To a call of 'withdraw' from the Opposition benches, Sir Keir replied: 'I'm not withdrawing – I'm going to repeat: business confidence is at a nine-year high.' A Conservative spokesman later said: 'Labour won't rule out hitting the self-employed with new taxes. 'They won't rule out a tax raid on pensions. And the Prime Minister says 'modest incomes' refers to anyone without savings, raising the prospect of a tax on savings in the autumn. Labour are treating working people with contempt. 'Hiking taxes is not inevitable – it is a choice brought on by the Government's economic incompetence.'
