Days left for thousands to act and secure up to £290 in cost of living payments before applications shut

09/08/2024 09:23 AM

THOUSANDS of people are running out of time to secure up to £290 in cost of living payments before applications close in mere days.

The payments are provided as part of the Household Support Fund (HSF), a government scheme to help with the cost of living.

Certain households in Doncaster, South Yorkshire are able to access up £290 in a cash grant to help with food, bills and other expenditure.

The City of Doncaster Council decided to use the funding to provide help to working-age and pensioner households in the city who receive any of the following benefits:

• Housing benefit
• Local council tax reduction
• Universal Credit which includes the housing element
• Means-tested free school meals

Payment will be made to eligible households as follows:

• Single people with no dependent children will receive a single payment of £50
• couples with no dependent children will receive a single payment of £70
• Households with one dependent child will receive a total of £110 from the scheme, this will be split into two payments of £55 each
• Households with two dependent children will receive a total of £170 from the scheme, this will be split into two payments of £85 each
• Households with three dependent children will receive a total of £230 from the scheme, this will be split into two payments of £115 each
• Households with four or more dependent children will receive a total of £290 from the scheme, this will be split into two payments of £145 each

Individuals who’ve previously received a payment under the council’s scheme will be paid automatically.

If you are a pensioner or a working-age person who did not receive a payment under the previous Household Support Fund and meet the above criteria, you will have to submit an online application.

Applications will close Friday, September 13, at 5pm.

Payment will be made directly into your bank account using the information you previously provided.

You only need to contact the council if your bank account has changed since your previous award.

To do this, email householdsupportfund@doncaster.gov.uk and provide your name, National Insurance number, address, new bank sort code, account number, and the name of the account holder.

Payment to households that include dependent children will be made in two separate instalments.

For those living in the rest of the UK, you may be eligible to gain funds from the support scheme too.

The HSF offers help to struggling households and has been extended several times since it was introduced by the Government in 2021.

The money comes from a pot worth £421 million by the Department for Work and Pensions, and it has now been extended for the sixth time, until April 2025.

Funding is given to local councils to distribute, so the support available varies across the country.

What you can get depends on where you live but the money could be paid out as a direct cash transfer or shopping vouchers.

The fund is usually given out based on your financial circumstances and what benefits you receive.

The current round of funding is due to end on 30 September, but applications may still being accepted by some local authorities.

Each area will then open up the scheme again in October, with the new funding in place until April 2025. 

In many areas applications can be made under both the current scheme and future rounds.

However, what you’re able to access depends on whereabouts you live, and the money will either be given to you as a direct cash transfer, shopping vouchers or in another form.

To find out what you may be eligible for, visit your local council’s website.

If you’re unsure of the name of your council, find out using the Government’s council locator tool.

Who will be eligible for the HSF and how do I apply?

Councils across England will decide who to distribute their share of the HSF to which means whether you will qualify depends on where you live.

However, in most cases you will be eligible if you are on benefits, classed as vulnerable or have limited savings.

You may not be able to get help for the new round if you have previously received support from the HSF.

If you are eligible, you may be contacted by your local council telling you what the next steps are to receiving any help.

You may also have to actively apply via your local authority’s website.

Most councils probably won’t have decided their eligibility criteria yet as the Government has only just announced the HSF extension.

Councils also get to decide how much they offer to each household and when to open their share of the fund.