Latest news with #HouseholdSupportFund
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Parents are getting £75 per child in free cash and Asda vouchers this week – are you eligible?
Plus, other help you can receive if you're on a low income HELPING HAND Parents are getting £75 per child in free cash and Asda vouchers this week – are you eligible? Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MILLIONS of households will soon be able to get their hands on £75 in cash or Asda vouchers 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 Customers without bank accounts will receive Asda vouchers over the coming weeks 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 Walsall will soon be able to benefit from the scheme, after the local council was allocated a chunk of the fund. In a statement posted on Facebook, the council stated: "This week (week commencing 15 July 2025) we will make a one-off direct payment of £75 per child to families in receipt of Council Tax Reduction. "Families will not need to apply for these payments. "This is to support families over the holiday period. There are a small number of customers without bank accounts who will receive Asda Vouchers over the coming weeks. "Where we do not hold bank details, payments will be posted to Council Tax accounts where customers can then request a refund." What if I don't live in Walsall? The £742million Household Support Fund has been shared between all councils in England. So, if you don't live in Walsall but are struggling financially or are on benefits you will likely be eligible for help. Disability benefit explained - what you can claim 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 - 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 -
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Parents are getting £75 per child in free cash and Asda vouchers this week – are you eligible?
MILLIONS of households will soon be able to get their hands on £75 in cash or Asda vouchers 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. 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 Walsall will soon be able to benefit from the scheme, after the local council was allocated a chunk of the fund. In a statement posted on Facebook, the council stated: "This week (week commencing 15 July 2025) we will make a one-off direct payment of £75 per child to families in receipt of Council Tax Reduction. "Families will not need to apply for these payments. "This is to support families over the holiday period. There are a small number of customers without bank accounts who will receive Asda Vouchers over the coming weeks. "Where we do not hold bank details, payments will be posted to Council Tax accounts where customers can then request a refund." What if I don't live in Walsall? The £742million Household Support Fund has been shared between all councils in England. So, if you don't live in Walsall but are struggling financially or are on benefits you will likely be eligible for help. Disability benefit explained - what you can claim 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 - 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 - How the Household Support Fund can help you 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
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Food vouchers for North Northamptonshire paused due to demand
One-off supermarket vouchers have been paused by a council due to a high demand in Northamptonshire Council said they had paused new applications for a three- week period due to a large number of people applying since 23 families, pensioners, and people with disabilities were able to apply, with the amount dependent on the size of the household. Gregory Wilcox, Reform UK councillor and executive member for communities at the authority, said: "The Household Support Fund (HSF) applications are currently paused due to high demand and to enable our staff to work through the existing waiting list." The vouchers were funded by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) and were available due to the seventh tranche of the HSF.A single person could apply for a £150 voucher, a two-person household £260 and a household with three people or more £320. It comes as prices rose by more than expected in the year to June, pushing inflation to 3.6% in UK, the highest it has been since January prices for food and clothing, air and rail fares - and a lower drop in fuel prices than this time last year - contributed to higher inflation, official figures Wilcox added: "This means new applications may not be accepted immediately while the authority processes existing requests and manage their allocated funds."The authority said residents who had applied for the "wider essentials support" since 23 June did not need to apply Northamptonshire Council said applications were expected to take two months to process and would be dealt with in order of the date they were were due to re-open on 4 August. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- General
- Scottish Sun
Parents could get free school meals for kids during summer holidays but they must apply NOW
Applications must be submitted before the deadline CHILD'S PLAY Parents could get free school meals for kids during summer holidays but they must apply NOW Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PARENTS could get a helping hand with free school meals throughout the summer holidays. The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme will offer support worth £100s after it was given the green light to run for another financial year. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 The HAF programme was rolled out in England in 2021, following successful pilots between 2018 and 2020 Credit: Getty It is funded by the Department for Education but is administered by local authorities, so each area varies in its offerings. Martin Lewis, the Money Saving Expert, has issued a warning to parents to apply for the scheme ahead of the deadline. He warned that HAF isn't automatic and even if you've had help during previous school holidays, you will have to apply each time. Parents will need to apply for free school meals every year before the school year starts in September. Most local authorities offer to help families with children in receipt of benefits-related free school meals. But local councils are also allowed to offer help to children outside of this group. The HAF programme was rolled out in England in 2021, following successful pilots between 2018 and 2020. The government says research has found the school holidays can be "pressure points" for families, leading to a "holiday experience gap". Children from low-income households are less likely to get access to organised out-of-school activities, more likely to experience social isolation and see their nutrition and physical health suffer. The HAF programme looks to address this, by providing free food and activities to children. The initiative is mostly for Reception-aged children up to Year 11. The application process and what help you can get varies based on where you live. For example, Waltham Forest Council, in North East London, is offering holiday clubs and a daily meal over the Easter school holidays to children on benefits-related free school meals. The provision is open to children from Reception up to Year 11. Children in the borough are entitled to four sessions across the holidays. If you are not eligible for the HAF programme in your local area, you might be able to get help via the Household Support Fund. The latest round of funding closes on March 31, but a new round is running from April 2025 until March 2026. The current round of funding is worth £421million and has been split between councils in England who then decide how to allocate their share. Free money is usually transferred to your bank account or you are awarded vouchers to spend on energy bills or at supermarkets. You usually qualify for help if you are on a low income, benefits or classed as vulnerable. Speak to your local council to see what help is on offer. You can find what council area you fall under by visiting Are you missing out on benefits? YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to Charity Turn2Us' benefits calculator works out what you could get. Entitledto's free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit. and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data. You can use Policy in Practice's calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs. Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Households can apply for £500 cost of living cash boost NOW ahead of summer holidays
Plus, we reveal other councils handing out support CLAIM IT Households can apply for £500 cost of living cash boost NOW ahead of summer holidays Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THOUSANDS of households can still apply for £500 worth of free cost of living cash ahead of the summer holidays. Cash-strapped families can get support via the government's Household Support Fund. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Families can apply for support through the government's household support Credit: Alamy The scheme has been extended multiple times, with the latest round running between April 2025 and March 2026. Each council in England has been allocated a share of the £742million, which they can dole out to residents in need. Eligibility criteria varies, but help is usually offered to those on benefits or a low income. Residents in Worcestershire can apply for support worth up to £500 to help with water and energy costs. How much you receive depends on factors such as your age and if you live in a household with children. For example, households with just adults aged between 18-66 can receive up to £300 in support. This is also the case for households with one adult or a couple of pensionable age. But homes with children aged under the age of 18, or young adults up to the age of 21 in full time education, can receive up to £500. To be eligible for the support you must have an income before tax of £24,570 if you are a single adult. All other households must have a yearly income of £31,000. Families can get FREE washing machines, fridges and kids' beds or £200 payments this summer – and you can apply now You must also have no savings, unless you are of state pension age - in which case you can have up to £5,000. You can be on Universal Credit but at least one person in your household must meet one of the following: Be of state pension age Have a long-term diagnosed health condition or be registered disabled Have a child under four Be in receipt of DWP benefits like Attendance Allowance, Carer's Allowance, PIP or Disability Living Allowance Be receiving support from services such as food banks, Citizens Advice, Age UK, mental health or housing support, or your GP's social prescribing team If you are keen to apply visit What if I don't live in Worcestershire? The £742million Household Support Fund has been shared between all councils in England. So, if you don't live in this area but are struggling financially or are on benefits you will likely be eligible for help. 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. For example, households in Ealing Council can apply for support worth £180. Elsewhere, Doncaster residents can still apply for £300 worth of support to be paid this winter. Households in Redcar & Cleveland can also now apply for support worth up to £230.
