Thousands of households on benefits are now eligible for £100 cost of living payment – check if you need to apply
THOUSANDS of households can get a £100 cost of living payment to help with key household bills.
The cash support is available through the government’s Household Support Fund.
The scheme works by handing councils up and down the country a slice of funding available to dish out to Brits in need.
Each local authority gets a different portion of funding depending on the size of the catchment area, population, and number of vulnerable households.
The voucher or grant amounts vary by location, so you must check to see what you can get and how your council will pay you.
For example, thousands of residents in the London Borough of Haringey could be eligible for a £100 cash grant in the coming weeks.
The funding will be split between:
- Automatic payments to eligible residents
- Payments issued by schools to students getting free school meals
- An application-based scheme for those ineligible for automatic payments.
Some eligible residents will get an automatic payment, and the council will identify the residents who need support through its benefits and support records.
This could include households claiming:
- Housing benefit
- Council tax reduction
- Other direct council support
If you get an automatic payment, it does not affect your benefits, and you do not have to pay it back.
You can spend the money on whatever you like, including food, energy or anything else you need support with.
Schools will give payment vouchers to children getting free school meals to provide support during school holidays.
Automatic payments will be issued in the form of a Post Office voucher.
You can cash your voucher at any of the UK’s 11,500 Post Office branches.
When cashing your voucher, you must show one of these forms of identification:
- A utility bill, like a gas or electricity bill, dated within the last 3 months
- A bank statement dated within the last 3 months
- Your valid passport or driving licence
- A debit or credit card in your name
If you do not receive automatic payments and need support, you can apply for the Haringey Support Fund.
You can apply if you get one of these benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Income-based jobseekers’ allowance
- Income-based employment and support allowance
- Incapacity benefit
- Pension credit
- Income support
- Severe disablement allowance
- Contribution-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) or employment and support allowance (ESA)
- Working tax credit
- Child tax credit
You can also apply if you’re on a low income and aren’t claiming any of the benefits listed above.
As a guide, apart from in exceptional circumstances, for the Support Fund, low income means less than:
- £500 after tax per week for a family
- £350 after tax per week for an individual
Payments for the application-based part of the council’s Household Support Fund are paid directly into bank accounts.
Find out more by visiting www.new.haringey.gov.uk/community-safety-antisocial-behaviour/household-support-fund.
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 £500million funding available to dish out to Brits in need.
It was then extended for a second time in the 2022 Spring Budget and for a third time in October 2022 to help those on the lowest incomes with the rising cost of living.
The DWP then confirmed a fourth extension of the scheme through to March 31, 2024.
Chancellor Jeremey Hunt extended the HSF for the fifth time while delivering his Spring Budget on March 6, 2024.
What if I don’t live in Haringey?
To get the help, you’ll need to check with your council – as local authorities are in charge of distributing the funding.
To find your local council, use the gov.uk council finder tool.
Once you’ve found your council, there should be information on how to apply on its website.
Each council will have a different application process – so exact details on how to apply will vary depending on where you live.
That means that the eligibility requirements to access the fund could also vary.
Some councils won’t require you to apply for the help and they’ll contact you about it instead if you qualify.
If there’s no information on your council’s website, then it’s best to ring them up and ask for more information.
What are other councils offering?
Residents in Blackpool can receive up to £300 in support from the Household Support Fund.
Those living in Bracknell Forest could be eligible for a £315 cash grant.
Low-income households in Cambridgeshire can apply for a financial award of £110 per household.
Those living in Falkirk in receipt of a council tax reduction, housing benefit, Universal Credit, income support, jobseekers allowance or pension credit can apply for up to £470 in cash support.
Middlesborough is awarding hard-up families up to £70.
Rutland County Council will provide one payment of £200 to care leavers this month.
What energy bill help is available?
THERE'S a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you're struggling to get by.
If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.
This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.
If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don’t think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
Several energy firms have grant schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.
But eligibility criteria varies depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £1,500.
British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).
The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill, and some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.
Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.