Areas where you can get payments of up to £450 and don't need to be on benefits
THOUSANDS of households can get up to £450 of free support – and you don't need to have Universal Credit or other benefits.
The support is provided through the government's Household Support Fund (HSF) program and is available nationwide.
But time is running out for people to make a claim as the fund will close on March 31.
Municipalities distribute the money to households in need to help them with the rising costs of bills and food.
Each municipality receives a different share of the funding, depending on the size of the catchment area, population and need.
The vouchers or grants offered vary by location, so you should check what you can get and how your council will pay you.
The fund is often aimed at people who already have a low income and need help.
But you don't always have to be on benefits or Universal Credit to qualify for the money.
There are also some areas that provide assistance to households that are not entitled to government support.
We've rounded up the councils offering this help – and you could get as much as £650.
It is important to remember that what you are entitled to depends on where you live.
For more information about what support is available and how to get it, you should contact your local council.
You can find yours using gov.uk's council check tool.
Manchester – £300
People living in Manchester could be eligible for a free £300 payment from the council.
You can get the money if you meet the following criteria:
- You will receive housing benefits, but no other DWP or HMRC benefits
- I have not received any living expenses from the government
If you meet the eligibility criteria, you must apply to receive a payout.
As part of the application process, the council will carry out checks to ensure that you were not entitled to living expenses, and this may include asking you for bank statements.
If your application is successful, you will receive the money in your bank account.
Stockton-on-Tees – £300
Households in Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council's catchment area can receive up to £300 in help.
If you are on a low income and do not receive tax relief from the council, you may be eligible for support, but there are certain criteria you must meet.
You can apply if no member of your household has received government subsistence benefits and your total net income for a family does not exceed £600.
If you think you qualify for this, you can register via the municipality's website.
Care leavers aged 18 to 25 will also receive a voucher worth £75.
Calderdale – £450
Residents of Calderdale, West Yorkshire, must pay a one-off payment of £50.
The free money is given to families with housing benefit and/or council tax reductions or free school meals.
Calderdale Council began contacting eligible families in January, but households can still register for payment if they believe they are eligible.
The deadline for registration is Thursday, February 29.
Disability-marked households on the council's welfare and benefits system should also receive a £50 payment this month.
Payments will begin on February 19 and will be spread over the week.
Calderdale Council has also set up a Discretionary Hardship Scheme (DHS) as part of its fund.
Households who do not receive additional living allowances from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) can receive up to £450.
To apply, you must provide the last two bank statements for all your and your partner's accounts.
North Yorkshire Council – £450
People living in the North Yorkshire Council region can get a £450 e-voucher to help with food and other essential costs.
The authority said it has sent letters to all eligible households with information on how to use the e-voucher.
The payment will be made to households that received housing allowance between August 18, 2023 and September 17, 2023, but were not eligible for the government's cost of living allowance.
Eligible households will receive a single e-voucher payment in the coming months to pay for food and other essentials.
The nine different supermarkets that people can choose from are:
Only Asda, Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury's and Waitrose offer both in-store and online shopping options for those with an e-voucher.
Blackburn
People living in the Blackburn area with Darwen Borough Council can get free money to help pay utility and water bills and other costs.
Domestic support may be available for:
- Blackburn with Darwen residents, children, families and adults
- Single-family households with a total annual household income of less than £26,057
- Households with a total annual income of less than £38,870
To qualify, you must have less than $16,000 in savings.
You must be able to demonstrate your total household income on the form pay slips and bank statements showing your name and address and upload these with your application.
If you have previously submitted an application based on the previous criteria 'income-related benefits', you are not eligible to apply again.
The council has not specified how much each household will be offered, but this will be allocated on a case-by-case basis.
To register and find out more, visit the Blackburn with Darwen Council website.
Burnley
Households in Burnley can also receive additional support depending on their circumstances.
The council has not specified how much each household will be offered, but this will be allocated on a case-by-case basis.
To be eligible for Burnley Council's Household Support Fund, you must live in the Borough of Burnley and belong to one of the following groups:
- You cannot submit an application if you or someone from your household has received a benefit from the household assistance fund or a post office voucher from the municipality in the past twelve months.
- You must be 16 years or older
- You must be experiencing financial difficulties and struggling to pay for essentials or living expenses
- You must be willing to work with other support agencies such as Citizens Advice, Christians Against Poverty and Burnley Together
- You don't need to be on benefits to apply, but your savings amount must be less than €2,000.
If you think you are eligible, you will need to complete an application form on the council's website.
Chorley
Residents in Chorley are being offered help with short-term living costs such as food, energy and essentials.
Citizens Advice Lancashire West is working with Chorley Council to support residents struggling with the costs of electricity, gas and water.
Priority will be given to households that are not receiving benefits and are not receiving subsistence payments paid out by the DWP.
How much you get depends on your circumstances and is divided into 'small amounts'.
To apply, please complete the online application form on our website via the link below. Once received, the municipality will send you a secure link to upload your bank statement.
The link provides further information for those who are unable to complete the online application or upload their bank statement.
The council has not specified how much each household will be offered, but this will be allocated on a case-by-case basis.
City of York
Households struggling to make a living may be entitled to help from York City Council.
The authority has said the amount of support available will vary on a case-by-case basis.
To qualify, you must be in dire need of financial assistance and not have sufficient income or savings to support yourself.
Families with children of all ages, pensioners, unpaid carers and disabled people are all welcome to apply.
But those in the following groups have been identified as priorities:
- People with disabilities, including children
- Caregivers
- People with health problems affected by the cold, such as COPD, severe asthma, cardiovascular disease, sickle cell anemia
- Retirees
- Single-person households with high energy, rent or mortgage costs
If you are found to be eligible, you can get help with any of the following:
- Food
- Utility bills – electricity, gas, oil
- Water bills (including sewerage)
- Other essential costs related to energy or water
- Support with other bills including broadband or phone bills, clothing and essential transport costs such as repairing a car, buying a bicycle or paying for fuel
- Some exceptional housing costs
If you think you meet one of the criteria, you can apply for support on the municipality's website.
What other help is available?
British Gas, Octopus Energy and EDF are among the major companies offering help.
Eligibility requirements vary depending on the company, but you will usually need to prove that you have energy debt or are experiencing fuel poverty.
The government classes fuel poverty, for example when a household has to spend a “large part” of its income to keep the temperature at a reasonable level.
It's worth checking whether you're also eligible for benefits, after the latest figures from analytics firm Policy in Practice show that £19 billion of support goes unclaimed every year.
There are several free online calculators you can use to find out what you may qualify for:
By claiming benefits you can not only earn extra money from the benefits themselves, but you could also qualify for living expenses payments of £299.
Meanwhile, anyone who pays for their energy with a prepayment meter may be able to get a fuel voucher to top up.
The money comes through the Fuel Bank Foundation, which provides emergency fuel vouchers to households at risk of running out of credit.
They are worth £49 in winter and £30 in the summer months when heating demand is lower.
You can submit an application through your municipality, which you can find using the government's municipality finder.
Do you have a money problem that needs to be solved? Get in touch by emailing money@the-sun.co.uk.
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