HELPING HAND
Thousands eligible for cost of living cash worth £100 to cover food and energy bills – check if you qualify
Keep scrolling to find out how much you can get with your local council
THOUSANDS of low-income households can apply for a free £100 cost of living payment to help with key household bills.
Councils have been sharing their local scheme's criteria for the government's Household Support Fund, which was renewed for the fifth time in April.
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The Household Support Fund will assist households most vulnerable to major increases in the cost of living.
It 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 proportion 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.
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The Government has given £6.69 million to Norfolk to support residents who are struggling with the cost of living.
This includes support for single households, families with or without children, retirees and people with disabilities.
Norfolk County Council also said it's increasing the fund - running until September 2024 - by £0.435 million to help a wider range of low-income households.
Those living in Norfolk can get their free cost of living cash via vouchers or direct bank payments, depending on their needs.
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Households eligible for free school meals, while direct payments are available on application for other reasons.
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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.
Former chancellor Jeremy Hunt extended the HSF for the fifth time while delivering his Spring Budget on March 6, 2024.
The amount of an award varies according on the applicant; on average, each household will likely receive an award of about £200.
The maximum award goes to Community Groups and VCSE's supporting personnel rather than to individual recipients.
For these groups, the maximum award is £50,000.
Grants of up to £100 are available to individuals as a maximum to help with energy and food expenses.
In Norfolk, almost 30,000 children are qualified for free school meals.
Cost of Living vouchers will therefore be given to households.
The Council provided overall help to almost 91,000 homes in the fourth and final HSF round.
Anyone can apply for the support, with each application being judged on its individual circumstances.
While most funding requires applications or referrals, households eligible for free school meals will automatically get vouchers for the duration of the school holidays.
Payments will be made depending on the support requested.
Some applicants may receive assistance in the late autumn through the Norfolk HSF fund, which is accepting applications through the end of September.
Meanwhile, eligible households have begun receiving monthly Cost-of-Living vouchers.
Anyone wanting to apply can do so via the
What if I don't live in Norfolk?
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
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.
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Rutland County Council will provide one payment of £200 to care leavers this month.
And in Tower Hamlets, households can get a free £100 cost of living payment to help with key household bills.
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 £2,000.
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.
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