Thousands of families to get up to £250 free cash for energy bills and council tax – are you eligible?
THOUSANDS of households will be able to get free financial support from their council, including supermarket vouchers and help with rent payments.
Rotherham Council has confirmed how it will spend the latest round of Government funding as part of the Household Support Fund (HSF) scheme.
1
It approved a spending plan this week after receiving £4.387m for the 2025/26 financial year.
The Government's £742million Household Support Fund is being split between councils across England to help the poorest residents.
The scheme has been extended multiple times with the latest round running between April 2025 and March 2026.
Each council gets to decide how it will spend the cash but the aim is to help those on a low income or benefits.
Rotherham has said it will prioritise helping residents with food, energy grants and council tax relief, as well as aid for care leavers and other vulnerable groups.
Roughly half of the funding - £2.687million - will be spent on supermarket vouchers for the families of children eligible for free school meals.
The vouchers will be given out during the school holidays and will be worth £15 per week.
All children who get free school meals will be eligible automatically and their families will not need to apply.
The council will also be making Discretionary Housing Payments to help people cover their rent.
The payments will be given to people on Housing Benefit or who get the housing element of Universal Credit but need more help with housing costs.
COUNCIL TAX REDUCTIONS
Separately, the Local Council Tax Support scheme will reduce council tax bills for more than 14,000 low-income households.
Some £500,000 has been allocated to fund the Energy Crisis Support scheme, which will give one-off £250 energy grants to more than 2,000 households.
Young people leaving care and setting up home can also get help for food and utility bills through the Children and Young People's Services Directorate.
Rotherham Council said it's already working directly with these young people and there is no need to apply.
As well as this, the fund will help provide more food, household goods and personal hygiene products to foodbanks.
People can access this help by visiting their local foodbank or Open Arms drop-in sessions.
Another £60,000 is being spent on helping local voluntary and community groups to distribute food hampers and support over Christmas and New Year.
What if you don't live in Rotherham?
If you're struggling financially but don't live in Rotherham you may still be able to get help from the Household Support Fund.
That's because the fund is being split between councils across England, so your local council should have its own plans.
What type of help you can get will vary but it could range from a free cash payment to supermarket vouchers.
The latest round of funding has only just started so your council might not be accepting applications yet.
It's worth keeping an eye on your local council's website or social media channels.
Plus, most councils have pages on their websites dedicated to their HSF.
You might be able to find it by typing in the name of your council then "Household Support Fund" into Google search.
How has the Household Support Fund evolved?
The Household Support Fund was first launched in October 2021 to help Brits pay their way through winter amid the cost of living crisis.
Councils up and down the country got a slice of the £421million funding available to dish out to Brits in need.
It was then extended in the 2022 Spring Budget and for a second time in October 2022 to help those on the lowest incomes with the rising cost of living.
The DWP then confirmed a third extension of the scheme through to March 31, 2024.
Former chancellor Jeremy Hunt extended the HSF for the fourth time while delivering his Spring Budget on March 6, 2024.
In September 2024, the Government announced a fifth extension.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
23 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Families urged to apply for cost of living cash worth up to £600
The Household Support Fund is a cost of living scheme that is run by local councils - it is a pot of cash awarded to local authorities, which they then distribute to residents Families are being urged to check if they can claim up to £600 in cost of living payments through the Household Support Fund. The Household Support Fund is a cost of living scheme that is run by local councils. It is a pot of cash awarded to local authorities, which they then distribute to residents. The help provided normally comes in the form of one-off payments that don't need to be paid back, or vouchers for food or energy. London Borough of Richmond upon Thames Council is issuing cash grants, which vary depending on the size of your household. Here is the help available: Up to £300 for households with one or more adults Up to £500 for households with one child Up to £600 for households and two children or more Get cost of living tips straight to your WhatsApp! As the cost of living crisis continues to burn a hole in people's pockets, the Mirror has launched its very own Money WhatsApp community where you'll get all the latest cost of living advice and money-saving tips straight to your phone. We'll send you the latest breaking updates and exclusives all directly to your phone. Users must download or already have WhatsApp on their phones to join in. All you have to do to join is click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! We may also send you stories from other titles across the Reach group. We will also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose Exit group. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. To be eligible for the grant, you must be over 18, living in Richmond and be struggling from the impact of rising costs of food and energy or continue to be impacted by COVID-19. This can include: Reduced pay or lost job Benefits issues Struggling to afford food, energy costs and other essentials, including white goods Extra costs as a result of COVID-19 Richmond Council is also encouraging individuals to apply if: There are community care needs They have serious health problems There is a risk to a child's wellbeing Get the best deals and tips from Mirror Money You can apply by contacting Citizens Advice Richmond by freephone on 08082 787873. If you're not a Doncaster resident, it is worth checking what support your local council can offer you through the Household Support Fund. For example, City of Doncaster Council is providing help to households that are in receipt of one of benefits including Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Universal Credit which includes the housing element and means-tested free school meals. If you're in a household with one dependent child, you will get a £100 payment for food, while £200 will be paid for two dependent children, and £300 for three dependent children. The council described a dependant child as one you are receiving Child Benefit for. A single payment will be made for energy bills to households that meet the eligibility criteria. Hull City Council is giving £200 to pensioner households. Meanwhile, low income families will get a £40 school uniform grant, as well as food vouchers in school holidays for those eligible for school meals. Hartlepool Borough Council is awarding £100 food vouchers to all households where a child is aged between two and 19 and is eligible for free school meals. Meanwhile, households with pensioners who are in receipt of council tax support will get £100 in bank payments or food vouchers this year.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Keir Starmer says 'AI makes us more human' as he unveils new tech tool
Keir Starmer has insisted artificial intelligence 'makes us more human' in a keynote speech setting out his plans to use tech to create a 'better future' for generations to come Keir Starmer has insisted artificial intelligence "makes us more human" in a keynote speech. The PM suggested the tech could help workers spend more time on face-to-face help - instead of spending many hours filling out forms. It came as Mr Starmer said a new AI tool - 'Extract' - will also help speed up planning permission for new homes by scanning hundreds of files in a second. The government said it will slash 250,000 hours spent by planning officers manually checking documents - freeing up valuable time. Mr Starmer said the tool was already being trialled in councils including Exeter and Nuneaton. Addressing London tech week, he said: "What it does is take old hand-written planning documents and puts them into digital form within seconds. So jobs that otherwise would have taken hours and hours done in seconds. We want to roll that out across the country." Keir Starmer unveils plan to help one million schoolkids in major tech drive During the event Mr Starmer also said a social worker told him at a No10 reception that AI had helped her concentrate on the "human element" of the job". He added: "I've always said AI and tech makes us more human, which sounds an odd thing to say, but it's true. We need to say it because... some people out there are sceptical. They do worry about AI taking their job." But he added: "I believe the way that we work through this together is critical." Mr Starmer also said youngsters will be able to access more job opportunities in tech under a major drive to skill up Britain. The PM announced plans to help around one million school-age children gain skills in technology under a new TechFirst scheme. It will help to prepare kids should they want to become AI engineers, computer scientists or data analysts in the future. Mr Starmer has said that within the coming years the Government should be able to "look every parent in the eye" and pledge that tech can create a "better future" for their children. Speaking on Monday, he said: "By the end of this Parliament we should be able to look every parent in the eye in every region in Britain and say 'look what technology can deliver for you'. "We can put money in your pocket, we can create wealth in your community, we can create good jobs, vastly improve our public services, and build a better future for your children. That, to me, is the opportunity we must seize. That's what my plan for change will deliver and, today, I think we're taking another big step towards it."
North Wales Chronicle
an hour ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Rutte to meet PM as Nato chief says ‘quantum leap' in defence needed
The secretary general of the military bloc is expected to use a speech at London's Chatham House to say a '400% increase in air and missile' capability is required just to maintain deterrence and defence. He will say 'wishful thinking will not keep us safe' as he warns Nato must become a 'stronger, fairer and more lethal alliance' to protect itself, in the remarks on Monday, when he will also separately meet the Prime Minister and Defence Secretary John Healey. Mr Rutte is expected to say: 'The fact is, we need a quantum leap in our collective defence. The fact is, we must have more forces and capabilities to implement our defence plans in full. 'The fact is, danger will not disappear even when the war in Ukraine ends'. He will add: 'We see in Ukraine how Russia delivers terror from above, so we will strengthen the shield that protects our skies. 'Our militaries also need thousands more armoured vehicles and tanks, millions more artillery shells, and we must double our enabling capabilities, such as logistics, supply, transportation and medical support'. On threats against the alliance, Mr Rutte will say: 'Wishful thinking will not keep us safe. We cannot dream away the danger. 'Hope is not a strategy. So Nato has to become a stronger, fairer and more lethal alliance.' The Prime Minister has committed to spend 2.5% of gross domestic product on defence from April 2027, with a goal of increasing that to 3% over the next parliament, a timetable which could stretch to 2034. But Mr Rutte's visit to the UK comes after he proposed members of the bloc spend 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence as part of a strengthened investment plan for the alliance. The target would require nations to raise core defence spending to 3.5% of GDP, while the remaining 1.5% is to be made up of 'defence-related expenditure'. Nato leaders will meet in The Hague later this month, when the total 5% spending target by 2035 will be discussed. The UK's Strategic Defence Review, which was published on Monday, recommended sweeping changes, including a greater focus on new technology, including drones and artificial intelligence based on rising budgets. The boost to the defence budget will be confirmed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in her spending review on Wednesday, when she will set out the Government's priorities for the next three years.
