BANK BOOST
Thousands to get share of £500m from vital scheme – are you due a lump sum payment, supermarket voucher or energy grant?
Plus, all the help you can get if you don't qualify for the scheme
THOUSANDS of households are in line for their share of a £421million fund to help cover essential costs.
The Government has extended its Household Support Fund which sees councils in England dish out help to hard-up residents.
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The latest £421million cash injection was announced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in his Spring Budget and forms part of a wider £500million package of support for households across the UK.
Councils now have until the end of September to distribute their share between low-income households.
Councils in East Midlands have been given £34,568,744 while local authorities in Yorkshire and the Humber have £47,046,422 to share out.
Those in the South West have been given £37,564,628 to distribute among residents in need and North East councils £24,202,622.
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London councils have been allocated the biggest share of the latest round of funding, with £67,871,40 to give to qualifying households.
How to apply and how much you'll get
Who qualifies for the Household Support Fund varies depending on where you live as each council gets to decide its own eligibility criteria.
However, in most cases, you'll qualify if you are on benefits like Universal Credit or a low income.
How to apply varies depending on where you live too, so you should get in touch with your council to find out.
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You can find out what council area you fall under by using the Government's council locator tool on its website.
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What you'll actually get, whether that be energy vouchers or a direct cash bank transfer, depends on where in England you're based.
For example, some households in Herefordshire can get direct cash payments worth £250 in the latest round.
In previous rounds, households in Kent were offered virtual prepaid cards worth £100 to pay for energy bills.
Portsmouth City Council and Dorset Council were both offering out supermarket vouchers worth £150 too.
It's worth noting some councils might not have opened applications for the current round yet so you may have to wait.
And even when you can make a claim, each council's pot is limited and can be used up at any stage, so you should apply as soon as practical.
What other help is there?
If you don't qualify for the Household Support Fund, there is other help on offer.
Plenty of energy firms offer grants to customers if they're struggling to keep up with bills.
Scottish Power hands grants worth up to £750 to customers in need and you'll qualify if you're on certain benefits including Income Support, Pension Credit and Employment and Support Allowance.
E.ON and Octopus Energy both hand out cash grants to struggling customers, although what you can get depends on your personal circumstances.
It's worth checking if you qualify for any Government schemes aimed at helping you reduce your energy bills too.
For example, the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is designed to tackle fuel poverty and reduce carbon emissions in the UK.
It's available to households on certain benefits such as Universal Credit, Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit.
You also need to be living in a home with an energy-efficiency rating of D-G.
You might also qualify for the Great British Insulation scheme which launched in September last year.
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 works out what you could get.
Entitledto's determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data.
You can use 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.
The scheme is open to households in council tax bands A-E across England, Wales and Scotland.
You also must have an energy performance certificate rating of D or lower.
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If you qualify, you could be in line for essential upgrades to your home including roof, loft or cavity wall insulation for free or at a discounted rate.
The measures can then go on to save you hundreds of pounds on your annual energy bills.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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