How to get one-off hardship grant of £200 for bills and food

HARD-UP households could get cash help worth hundreds of pounds to help with rising bills.

The Household Support Fund programme will help those struggling with their finances to cover essentials.

Birmingham’s fund is being dished out to local residents and offers £200 to cover the cost of food, gas, electricity and water bills.

The fund is available for families with kids under 18 and pensioners in financial hardship, as well as those in work too.

Residents will need to be getting some financial help already, like council tax support or certain benefits.

The scheme is part of the Government’s Household Support Fund (HSF) which was recently extended by Chancellor Rishi Sunak and the amount doubled to £1billion.

The fund was first launched in October last year to help support families during the winter amongst the ongoing cost of living crisis.

Originally, £500million was divided between all councils and had to be given out by March 31 this year.

That has now been extended and people are being urged to check what they could get from their local authority.

What you can get will depend where you are – each council is giving out the help differently.

For instance families in Medway can get free vouchers to use at supermarkets.

And residents in Blackpool can get as much as £300, depending on their circumstances.

How do I apply?

In Birmingham, to get the process started, you need to contact your local partner organisation.

They’ll complete an eligibility assessment and later submit your application for you.

You can find a full list of partner organisations .

Other councils are offering similar initiatives – but how much you can get and eligibility can vary .

To find your local council and see what they are offering, use the 

Once you’ve found your council, there should be information on how to apply for the funding 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 too.

You may be entitled to more help with your bills. British Gas has opened its hardship fund which could give you £1,000 towards your energy bills.

This change could mean, if you’re receiving benefits or Universal Credit, you’ll get a huge pay rise.