Struggling financially? Check if you are eligible for £200 Household Support Fund cash boost

The payments are being made as part of a scheme designed to help low-income households in various local council areas around the country

Households with low incomes could get a £200 cash boost – thanks to the Household Support Fund (HSF).

The Household Support Fund is a Government scheme to help people struggling with the rising cost of living.

An £842 million cashpot has been allocated by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to local councils to support people living in their area.

Each council will spend the money in the way they think will best benefit residents.

Some councils are giving out their portion of the fund as supermarket vouchers, some are giving direct cash payments, while others are providing residents with energy saving goods such as air fryers and slow cookers.

You can see a list of what support is available in your area here.

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How do I get £200?

In Birmingham, the council is giving eligible residents £200 payments.

Funding opened on 31 July as part of the council's Hardship Grant Community Fund and it'll be open to apply to until 31 March 2024.

This is the fourth round of funding for Birmingham residents to help with the cost of living. While it isn't known how many households this round of payments will help, the last round of funding helped around 100,000 people.

Am I eligible?

To get the fund, the following must apply:

• You must be a Birmingham Resident
• You must be experiencing financial hardship, particularly with regard to food and energy costs
• Your household must not have received a £200 grant payment in the last 12 months from the HSF

You can apply for the fund until 31 March 2024 unless funding runs out before then in which case applications will close sooner – so if you think you're eligible, apply as soon as possible!

How to apply

You can apply for the fund via an enquiry form on the council's website where you'll be asked questions to check if you are eligible for the grant.

Once you've applied, you will be contacted about the outcome of your enquiry and told the next steps to take.

If you're unable to access the website, you can call 0121 634 7100. However, the council recommends completing the form if you can as your enquiry will be processed more quickly.

Can I get help if I don't live in Birmingham?

Yes. Many councils across the UK are offering support to their residents who need it, with some still to announce their plans for the fund.

For example, in West Devon, eligible residents will be given 2 cash payments totalling £400 paid directly into bank accounts.

While Herefordshire Council is providing HSF support to those who may be not entitled to other benefits and looks to provide immediate day-to-day help.

Dorset is providing its residents with £150 worth of supermarket vouchers.

Camden in London provided 3 lots of supermarket vouchers worth £15, £30 and £15 per child to families receiving Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support.

And Blackpool Council is offering households £200 or £300 towards their energy bills which is paid directly to the energy supplier.

You can take a look at what other councils are doing with their share of the HSF here.

Do I have to pay back money from the Household Support Fund?

No. The money or services you get from the Fund do not have to be paid back.

Other support

You may also be entitled to Cost of Living payments. The 3 payments, totalling £900 are available to those receiving certain benefits. The first payment of £299 was paid in the spring and the second £300 payment is due this autumn.

You can find out all you need to know about the payments and see if you're eligible here.

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