Struggling to pay bills? Get up to £300 support from your local council

The payments – part of each local authority's Household Support Fund – are allocated to struggling families to help with essential costs

Thousands of families in the UK could get a one-off payment of £300 to help with household bills.

The money will be offered as part of the Household Support Fund – a cash fund given to local councils to help the most in-need people in their area.

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While, in some areas, it's given to families in the form of supermarket vouchers or air fryers and slow cookers, some councils are offering the help in the form of a cash payment instead. You can see here a list of what support is available, area by area.

Stockton-on-Tees Council is the latest local authority to offer this form of help – but you'll need to be quick if you want to claim, as applications close as soon as all funds have been allocated.

Here's everything you need to know about the payment – and how to make a claim.

Help for residents in Stockton-on-Tees

Struggling households in Stockton-on-Tees may be eligible for up to £300 in cash to help them with their bills.

The local council is making discretionary payments of £300 per application to any families on low income who do not receive council tax reduction and who are not eligible for the government's cost of living support payments.

Residents can check if they're eligible on the Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council website.

Eligibility depends on the following factors:

• Your household does not get council tax reduction
• No members of the household have received a Government cost of living support payment at any time this year
• You are liable to pay the household energy bills or prepayment meters
• Your total net weekly household income does not exceed £300 for a single person, £400 for a couple, or £560 for a family

If your application is successful, the money will be paid directly into your bank account.

Help for residents in Bury

Residents in Bury, Greater Manchester, could also get a one-off payment of between £100 and £300 to cover essential costs – such as fuel, bills and grocery costs.

You won't need to be on benefits to qualify, and the cash will be paid either via bank transfer or as vouchers.

Check with Bury Council for eligibility requirements and how to apply.

Help for residents in the West Midlands

Eligible residents who live in the West Midlands and have Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council as their local authority could get a payment of up to £900.

The council said the support is being given to households who didn't get the £900 cost of living payment from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).= but was eceiving Housing Benefit as of 1 April this year.

Check with Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council for full details and eligibility requirements.

Help in other areas

Each local authority runs its own Household Support Scheme and is given a different portion of funding depending on the size of the catchment area, population and need.

Eligibility for the scheme is different in each area, so it's best to check what help you can get and how to apply with your local council.

Some councils have already given out help in the form of cash payments – in Dudley Borough, for example, you can get a one-off payment of £175 if:

• you are a multi-person household (this includes your partner, children or anyone else that lives with you)
• your joint gross income, including wages and any other income (including pensions and benefits), is less than £45,000 a year
• your savings are less than £6,000

Other local authorities have opted to give out £150 supermarket vouchers while Wokingham Council, have delivered over 650 energy saving packs to residents, including air fryer/slow cookers, heated blankets and thermal clothing.

Meanwhile, in other areas, local councils have helped with the cost of food shopping by bulk ordering food via a distributor to make up food boxes, while some authorities have set up community larders, and provided 'grab bags' of food for families with children over the school holidays.

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What is the Household Support Fund?

The Household Support Fund is a Government scheme to give councils in England a set amount of money to help vulnerable people and those most in need in their area.

The scheme first ran from October 2021, but has since been extended to March 2024.

Under the government scheme, councils are able to use the cash how they see fit.

While what you'll get completely depends on your local area, many councils are opting to give out cash or vouchers to help struggling families with their ever-increasing bills.

What other help is available?

If you are currently struggling with the cost of living crisis, we've got plenty of help and advice in our Cost of Living hub. Here you'll find all the latest news on benefits, deals, vouchers and other help you could be entitled to, plus lots of advice and top tips from finance and budgeting experts.

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