Thousands of households have just days left to apply for £125 free cash direct into bank accounts – how to claim
THOUSANDS of households have just days left to apply for £125 free cash direct into their bank accounts.
The cash support is provided through the Household Support Fund worth £421million.
The funding runs until the end of March, which is the deadline for which councils must dish out the available money to hard-up households.
The scheme was set up in 2021, and extended for the second time last year in the March budget.
It was extended again in November to help those on the lowest incomes with the rising cost of living.
Each council gets a different portion of funding depending on the size of the catchment area, population, and need.
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The government has announced it is pumping a further £842million into the HSF after March 31.
Grants on offer vary by location so you'll have to check to see what you can get and how your council will pay you.
You'll usually need to be on a low income to receive the help.
Eligible households can get £125 free if they live in the Test Valley borough area of Hampshire.
The help is on offer for people who are struggling to pay for housing costs, energy and water bills, food and other essential items.
You don't have to be getting universal credit, or any other benefits, to qualify for support.
Eligible households will get a £125 one-off payment.
You must live in the area and be paying for the place where you live and be able to prove you are finding it difficult to meet these costs.
Can I get help if I don't live in Test Valley?
Yes - you can still get help under the Household Support Fund.
What support you can get will vary, because each council is in charge of how to spend the funding available.
Some decide to dish the help out automatically, while you'll need to apply in other cases.
Some councils choose to distribute funding in the form of vouchers, while others give out cash payments.
To get more information on what support is available, and how to get it, you'll need to contact your local council.
You can find yours using the gov.uk council checker tool.
What can I get?
Councils decide how to distribute their funding.
But in the last round of funding, you could get up to £250 in free cash support from some councils - like Rother in Sussex.
For example, thousands of residents in Luton are getting electronic vouchers to help pay for food and other household essentials.
North Yorkshire council is giving out £325 help for struggling households.
Check your local council to see what it's offering.
What help can I get if I'm struggling?
Millions of households started receiving a £400 energy bill discount from October.
Households will be getting the final payment of £67 this month.
Between November 2022 and March 2023, a £300 one-off "Pensioner Cost of Living Payment" is being paid out to eight million households.
It is being given to those who already get the winter fuel payment - which is worth between £100 and £300 for those over state pension age.
Millions of households have also started to get the £150 Warm Home Discount between December 2022 and March 2023.
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Due to the HSF being extended from March 31, further support will be available to families under the scheme again until 2024.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk