Latest news with #Household
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Families can get FREE washing machines, fridges and kids' beds or £200 payments this summer – and you can apply now
We reveal below other help you can get covering the cost of white goods HELPING HAND Families can get FREE washing machines, fridges and kids' beds or £200 payments this summer – and you can apply now Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HARD-UP families can get free washing machines, fridges and kids' beds or £200 towards the cost of energy this summer. The help comes via the Household Support Fund (HSF) - a giant £742million fund available to councils in England. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Households can get help covering the cost of white goods Credit: Getty Councils have until March 31, 2026, to allocate their share of this fund to residents in need. Support is usually offered to those on a low income, benefits or classed as vulnerable. Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council is offering thousands of hard-up households a range of help based on their needs. Some can get £200 towards the cost of gas and electricity while others can get help paying for food. Meanwhile, some can get help covering the cost of white goods such as washing machines and fridges, and single beds for children. Blackburn with Darwen Council wouldn't say how much the average price of a white good someone will receive might be. However, Which? says the average price of a fridge freezer is £800, so you could save yourself a fair amount by applying. Households requesting help with white goods must be referred to Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council by a professional. The council said this referrer might be someone from adult services, charity Age UK or children's services. You'll need to be of a limited income to apply for help through the fund. The criteria you must meet is: How to cut energy costs and get help with FOUR key household bills Single Adult in Work: Your household income must be below £26,057 (before tax and National Insurance) Two or More Adults in Work: Your household income must be below £38,870 (before tax and National Insurance) Your household savings must be under £2,000 If you're a pensioner, you can have savings up to £16,000 It's worth noting, if you've received a white goods item in the last 12 months from Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, you cannot apply for help with white goods this round. More details about the HSF scheme and how to apply are on Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council's website - Councillor Phil Riley, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "The Household Support Fund is there to support those people who are really struggling with the cost of living. "In addition to funding for a variety of things, residents can also access financial advice to help them with reducing their household outgoings and improving their income. "Anyone living in Blackburn with Darwen can apply and although there is some eligibility criteria to meet, we're keen to remind people that the Household Support Fund is open to applications from people who are in work, as well as those who are not." 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 £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. The last round ran until the end of March 2025, but was extended. The most current round is running between April 2025 and March 2026. If you live outside the Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council area, it's worth checking if you qualify for help via the HSF where you live. You might be able to get free grants to cover energy bills or supermarket vouchers to spend on food. Find out what council area you fall under by visiting How else to get free white goods It's not just through the Household Support Fund you can get help with the costs of white goods. Here are some other avenues to get help. Council schemes Some councils run schemes to cover the cost of white goods. For example, Norfolk County Council has a Client Hardship Service (CHS) offering second-hand and new appliances to hard-up households. To get help you'll need to be aged 16 or older, live in Norfolk and be claiming a means-tested benefit like Universal Credit or Pension Credit. Meanwhile, Manchester City Council provides those who are resettling or moving out of temporary accommodation with basic furniture and white goods. Use the government's council locator tool, which we've shown above, to find out if your local authority offers any white good-based support and eligibility criteria. Many local councils have local assistance funds providing essential furniture and white goods too. For example, Waltham Forest Council, in London, offers struggling households vouchers to pay for essentials like bedding, household goods and furniture. You'll need to prove you don't have savings which could be used to cover the cost of these goods and must be aged 16 or over. North Yorkshire Council also offers households facing financial hardship help. Under the scheme, households can replace broken appliances free of charge, as well as access help buying food, clothing, beds and bedding. You'll need to provide proof of why you need extra support. Grants for those in specific jobs You might be able to get help covering the cost of white goods if you've worked for a specific company. One of the biggest schemes out there is the BT Benevolent Fund, which is for anyone who works at BT or has worked there before, including pensioners and dependants. You can apply for the BT Benevolent Fund on the scheme's website. Another is the Insurance Charities, which can be accessed by anyone who has worked in the insurance sector for at least five years. If a parent or primary carer has worked within the fashion and textile industry for at least one year within the past nine years, they can apply for grants to buy white goods through the Fashion and Textile Children's Trust. This includes working in a supermarket or shop with a clothes range such as Mothercare. The average amount paid is £515. Lastly, the Veteran's Charity supports those who have worked in the armed forces facing hardship. The charity can provide small and large white goods to help those battling hardship and distress. Charity grants Buttle UK is a charity for children, young people, their families, and carers offering grants worth up to £2,000. Support packages include money for essential items, including beds and cookers, and help for children's emotional, social, and educational needs. Meanwhile, Family Fund supports families raising disabled or seriously ill children. They provide grants for several things, including washing machines, bedding, and furniture. The grants are paid through specific suppliers and can be used for the total cost of new items or a discount on the cost. The exact amount given varies in each individual case. For those in England and Scotland, kitchen goods are supplied by the website AO. For those in Wales, grants are supplied by Argos, and for those in Northern Ireland, the supplier is Vision Sales. Charity Glasspool also provides grants to help people buy white goods, bedding, and items for children and babies. There are no specific eligibility requests for this charity, but it says it expects anyone applying to have already made an application for local welfare schemes. Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@ Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Five ways parents can get help with summer holiday costs including childcare and food if you're on Universal Credit
Find out how you can get free food, activities and vouchers HELPING HAND Five ways parents can get help with summer holiday costs including childcare and food if you're on Universal Credit Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SUMMER holidays can end up costly for parents, especially those already struggling with the cost of living. Parents can find themselves forking out an extra £1,000 a week over the summer break. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 The school holidays can end up expensive for parents but we've got tips that can help Credit: Getty If they choose to go on holiday, the average price of a getaway for a family of four is more than £3,600. But there are some ways you can keep the costs down - especially if you're on benefits like Universal Credit. The Sun explains what you can do... 'Kids eat free' offers Over the summer holidays you'll find plenty of cafe and restaurant chains run 'kids eat free' offers. These are especially common in supermarket cafes and in restaurant chains aimed at families. For example, Tesco gives children a free meal over the holidays as long as you buy something from the adult menu. Asda offers kids' meals for £1 but you don't need to buy anything else to get the deal. Other chains like Pizza Express, TGI Fridays, Franco Manca and Bill's also usually offer deals over the holidays. These tend to apply to any parents - not just those on Universal Credit or other benefits. Free clubs Low income families can get help from their local council through the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme. I've saved £15k on trips to Ibiza, Mallorca & Turkey with term time holidays - I'll never stop, fines are a tax on the working class It can be used to sign children up to sports, music and arts clubs, and it also offers them a nutritious meal each day for free. The help on offer varies by council but families who receive free school meals are usually eligible. In some areas you can get holiday club places for the equivalent of at least four hours a day. You should contact your local authority to see what's available, whether you're eligible and how to apply. Am I entitled to Universal Credit? According to the GOV website, if you're on a low income or need help with your living costs, then you could be entitled to Universal Credit. To claim, you must live in the UK, be aged 18 or over (with some exceptions if you're 15 to 17), be under State Pension age, and have £16,000 or less in money, savings and investments. Other circumstances are if you are out of work, or unable to work, for example because of a health condition. Food and energy bills vouchers Another scheme run by local councils is the Household Support Fund (HSF). Councils across England have been allocated a share of a huge £742million pot that can be spent on helping struggling residents. The latest round of funding is running until March 2026. Local authorities can choose how to spend their share of the fund, but many are transferring cash to the bank accounts of low-income households or offering vouchers that can be spent on energy bills or at supermarkets. You usually qualify for help if you are on a low income, benefits or classed as vulnerable. You should contact your local council to find out what's on offer and whether you qualify for support. Use an app for free or discounted food Some apps can help you get hold of free or heavily discounted food that would otherwise go to waste. Olio lets businesses and households offer up food that would be going into the bin. It's often on a first-come-first-served basis so you'll need to be quick to snap up any items you want. Another app you can try is Too Good To Go, which gives you 'surprise bags' of food at a discounted price. Bear in mind you won't know what you're getting beforehand. Free activities Loads of UK attractions offer heavily discounted or even free admissions for people on Universal Credit or other key benefits. Some of these include ZSL London Zoo, which offers tickets for just £3 for those on Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, or Jobseeker's Allowance. Peak tickets usually start from £33. Meanwhile you can get in for free at York Castle Museum, or for just £1 at Kew Gardens or any of the Historic Royal Palaces. You can see the full list of places here. Cut childcare costs You may be able to get tax-free childcare that can save you 20% on childcare costs over the summer. If you have two kids in clubs for five weeks, that's worth about £300. The help is available for children aged under 12, or 17 if your child has a disability. Eligible parents get up to £500 every three months — a total of £2,000 per year — per child to help with care such as nurseries and after-school clubs. You can also use it toward the cost of holiday clubs. You cannot use the scheme if you are on Universal Credit or receive tax credits - and you risk losing your benefits if you apply. However you can claim for help with childcare costs separately through Universal Credit instead.
Sydney Morning Herald
03-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘It would be weird if she left': The pleasure and pain of adult kids at home
'It will take a stick of dynamite to get me out of my parent's house,' Matthew McConaughey famously says in the 2006 film, Failure to Launch. And while his man-child character was played for laughs, staying in the family home long into adulthood is no longer a far-fetched Hollywood plot. As many as 50 per cent of 18 to 29-year-olds are living at home with their parents, according to the latest Household, Income and Labour Dynamics (HILDA) survey by Melbourne University's Melbourne Institute. And it's not just the cost of living keeping the generations under the same roof. Demographers claim the milestones of adulthood – graduating higher education, marrying and having children – are now happening later in life. Add to this the financial strain that comes from the rising cost of housing and you find children are entering adulthood, but staying put. For those who have experienced the 'under my roof' lecture, the potential intergenerational tension is real. Loading Mikaela Binns-Rorke, 21 lives at home board-free with her mum, Natalie Binns, and her mum's partner, Jim Shields. The young actor is responsible for keeping her room, bathroom and living area clean and tidy and she helps out on household chores whenever she can. 'I often have to remind her about this side of the arrangement,' says Binns. 'She has witnessed her friends in share housing and that has been an eye-opener for her with all the expenses; I think she knows she has it pretty good here.' Chief executive of Relationships Australia NSW, Elisabeth Shaw, says the organisation is seeing a growing number of family groups seeking guidance around young adults living at home. She says there are ways to reduce the household tension, or eliminate it altogether.
The Age
03-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Age
‘It would be weird if she left': The pleasure and pain of adult kids at home
'It will take a stick of dynamite to get me out of my parent's house,' Matthew McConaughey famously says in the 2006 film, Failure to Launch. And while his man-child character was played for laughs, staying in the family home long into adulthood is no longer a far-fetched Hollywood plot. As many as 50 per cent of 18 to 29-year-olds are living at home with their parents, according to the latest Household, Income and Labour Dynamics (HILDA) survey by Melbourne University's Melbourne Institute. And it's not just the cost of living keeping the generations under the same roof. Demographers claim the milestones of adulthood – graduating higher education, marrying and having children – are now happening later in life. Add to this the financial strain that comes from the rising cost of housing and you find children are entering adulthood, but staying put. For those who have experienced the 'under my roof' lecture, the potential intergenerational tension is real. Loading Mikaela Binns-Rorke, 21 lives at home board-free with her mum, Natalie Binns, and her mum's partner, Jim Shields. The young actor is responsible for keeping her room, bathroom and living area clean and tidy and she helps out on household chores whenever she can. 'I often have to remind her about this side of the arrangement,' says Binns. 'She has witnessed her friends in share housing and that has been an eye-opener for her with all the expenses; I think she knows she has it pretty good here.' Chief executive of Relationships Australia NSW, Elisabeth Shaw, says the organisation is seeing a growing number of family groups seeking guidance around young adults living at home. She says there are ways to reduce the household tension, or eliminate it altogether.
BusinessToday
22-05-2025
- Business
- BusinessToday
Malaysia's April Inflation Remains Steady At 1.4%
Malaysia's inflation increased at 1.4 per cent in April 2025, with the index points stood at 134.3 as against 132.4 in the same month of the previous year. The Department of Statistics which released the data said the increase of inflation was driven by an increase in the group of Personal Care, Social Protection & Miscellaneous Goods & Services, 4.1 per cent (March 2025: 3.6%), followed by Education, 2.3 per cent (March 2025: 2.2%) and Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels, 2.0 per cent (March 2025: 1.9%). However, Food & Beverages, 2.3 per cent (March 2025: 2.5%); Recreation, Sport & Culture, 1.3 per cent (March 2025: 1.7%); Health, 0.9 per cent (March 2025: 1.0%) and Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance, 0.1 per cent (March 2025: 0.2%) recorded a slower increase as compared to the previous month. Inflation for Restaurant & Accommodation Services (2.9%), Insurance & Financial Services (1.5%), Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (0.8%) and Transport (0.7%) increased at the same rate as recorded in the previous month. In addition, Information & Communication and Clothing & Footwear, remained at negative territory registering negative 4.5 per cent and negative 0.1 per cent respectively. DOSM noted that eleven states recorded increases below the national inflation rate of 1.4 per cent, with both Kelantan and Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya recording the lowest increase at 0.5 per cent in April 2025. However, four states recorded increases above the national inflation level namely Johor (2.2%), Negeri Sembilan (1.7%), Selangor (1.7%) and Melaka (1.6%). All states registered an increase in the inflation of Food & Beverages. The increase was recorded by Negeri Sembilan at 3.3 per cent, followed by Johor (3.0%), Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya (3.0%), Selangor (2.9%), Terengganu (2.8%), Sabah (2.7%), Melaka (2.6%) and Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur (2.5%), while, other states showed an increase below the national inflation of Food & Beverages (2.3%) in April 2025. The monthly headline inflation increased 0.1 per cent in April 2025 as compared to March 2025. The increase was attributed by Personal Care, Social Protection & Miscellaneous Goods & Services (1.3%); Information & Communication (0.9%) and Recreation, Sport & Culture (0.4%). Nevertheless, the decrease in Food & Beverages (-0.1%) and Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-0.1%), to a certain extent offset the inflation from increasing further. Meanwhile, core inflation increased to 2.0 per cent in April 2025 as compared to the preceding month (1.9%). The increase was driven by Personal Care, Social Protection & Miscellaneous Goods & Services (4.1%); Food & Beverages (3.6%) and Restaurant & Accommodation Services (2.9%). In comparison to inflation in other selected countries, inflation in Malaysia (1.4%) was lower than inflation in Viet Nam (3.1%) and Indonesia (2.0%). However, the rate was higher than Thailand (-0.2%) and China (-0.1%). Related
