Families have less than a MONTH to apply for £320 cost of living help
The Cost of Living Crisis
Louisa Sherlock
Associate EditorHouseholds are urged to apply now ... as another council reveals it has been given EXTRA money to help struggling families
Low-income families are being urged to apply for a hardship payment to help with household bills and food.
The money is part of the Household Support Fund (HSF), an £842 million pot of money that's given to local councils to help families and local causes in their area.
Some councils give out one-off cash grants, while others offer supermarket vouchers, money off energy bills and more.
North Northamptonshire Council is offering £320 to eligible households with three or more people and other councils around the country have similar schemes.
This comes as the neighbouring West Northamptonshire Council revealed earlier this week they’ve been given extra funds from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to help local families.
And they are also giving out financial support to those who need it.
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Don't live in Northamptonshire? Find out how your local council is distributing their allocation of the cash here.
What financial support is on offer?
Households in the North Northamptonshire area can submit an application for the help, which includes a one off hardship payment award of:
- £150 for a single person
- £260 for a couple
- £320 for a household of three or more people
The deadline for applications is 25 February 2024.
Meanwhile families in the West Northamptonshire area can also apply for financial support through the HSF. The exact amount being paid out is unclear, but if you earn less than £450 a week you can apply.
To find out what is available in your area contact your local council here.
Who is eligible?
There is strict criteria for who can apply for the North Northamptonshire payment.
If you have two children, your household must earn less than £42,418. Check your criteria here.
Support is available for West Northamptonshire residents earning less than £450 per week. Check if you're eligible here.
How do I apply?
For both schemes, you'll need to head to the council websites to apply. You'll need proof of payslips and other details like your National Insurance number.
You can apply for North Northamptonshire here
You can apply for West Northamptonshire here
Households are warned that a high number of applications mean it could take up to eight weeks for the payment to be made.
What is the Household Support Fund?
The Household Support Fund is a pot of money worth £842 million that the Department for Work and Pensions first introduced in 2021 amid the cost of living crisis.
Local councils can apply for funding to help struggling families in their area.
Millions of families have been supported as part of the Fund with energy bill support, cash payouts, supermarket vouchers, free school meals and more.
But the HSF is set to end completely on 31 March 2024.
What if I'm not eligible?
There are many more government schemes that you could be eligible for, such as the Cost of Living payments.
Take a look at our Cost of Living hub for more financial advice.
You can also find tricks for saving extra cash in 2024, and top tips from Money Saving Expert, Martin Lewis too.
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