Urgent warning for thousands to claim share of £85m before key deadline
HOUSEHOLDS have just five weeks left to claim their share of an £85 million pot to cover high living costs.
The aid comes through the Household Support Fund (HSF), which ends on March 31.
According to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), more than £360 million has been allocated in the latest round of the fund.
But figures shared exclusively with The Sun by lender Creditspring show there is still £85 million in pot left to distribute.
The figures, based on responses from 100 councils across England to a Freedom of Information request on January 5, show that Derbyshire Council and Leeds City Council had the largest amounts to distribute before the March 31 deadline.
Derbyshire Council had £6,519,408 left in the pot, while Leeds City Council had £5,624,353 after being allocated £10.8 million and £14 million respectively.
Both councils said they had deliberately staggered the distribution of the fund to ensure households were covered throughout the year.
Meanwhile, in England, Leicester City Council, Surrey County Council and Tower Hamlets Council were also in the top 10 local authority areas with the largest amounts yet to be allocated.
Neil Kadagathur, CEO and co-founder of Creditspring, said: “With the end of the scheme fast approaching, all councils must ensure that all available support is provided to the struggling households that need it most.”
Of the 100 municipalities that Creditspring approached, 82 had money left over from their share in the HSF.
This included Shropshire Council, which had yet to distribute more than £700,000, and Halton Borough Council, which had yet to distribute more than £800,000 as of 5 January.
Cambridgeshire Council also had more than £1.4 million to share between residents and Bournemouth had almost £1.4 million in the bank.
Seven councils said they had fully distributed their share, including Trafford Council, Ribble Valley Borough Council and Halifax Council.
Mr Kadagathur added: “With more than a dozen councils yet to award more than £1 million from the Household Support Fund, the race is on to not only raise awareness and simplify the application process so that households can get in time can submit an application, but also to identify vulnerable people who they can identify. can proactively provide essential support.
“Without this support, it is likely that an increasing number of already vulnerable individuals will be forced to turn to expensive credit products or predatory lenders.”
What is the Domestic Support Fund and who is eligible for it?
The Household Support Fund was first launched in October 2021 to help Brits meet the rising costs of living.
Councils in England received a share of £500 million in funding and were allowed to distribute it to households in need.
It was subsequently extended for a second time in the 2022 Spring Budget and for a third time in October 2022.
In February last year, the DWP extended the scheme for the fourth time until March 31, 2024.
So far the government has refused to confirm whether the agreement will be extended again.
However, The Sun understands it has not ruled out a fifth extension, one of which is “under review”.
Eligibility for assistance through the scheme varies as each municipality is allowed to determine its own eligibility criteria.
But in most cases, help is offered to people on benefits or on a low income.
For example, Doncaster Council helps people with housing benefits, council tax cuts, Universal Credit and free school meals.
Meanwhile, Dorset Council is handing out support to people with an annual net household income of less than £30,000 and savings of less than £16,000.
How much can I get?
As with eligibility, the amount you can receive through the Household Support Fund varies depending on where you live.
For example, Kent County Council is offering residents £100 worth of virtual prepaid cards, which can be used to pay energy bills.
Meanwhile, Portsmouth City Council is offering supermarket vouchers worth £150.
Dorset Council is rolling out the fourth round of its Household Support Fund, including £150 worth of supermarket vouchers.
Check your local council’s website to see what help is available, or call them for more information.
Not all municipalities distribute support to individual residents; some use their money to modernize people’s homes.
For example, Kingston upon Hull Council has used the fund to pay for hundreds of boilers and radiators for poor families.
How to apply
You should first check with your local council to see if you are eligible, and then get more information on how to apply.
You can do this by using the gov.uk council seeker.
Once you’ve found your municipality, there should be more information on the website about how to apply.
Each municipality has a different application process, so the exact details of how to apply will vary depending on where you live.
Some municipalities do not require you to apply for the assistance and will instead contact you if you qualify.
If there is no information on your council’s website, call them and ask for more details.
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