HELPING HAND
Thousands on low incomes to get one-off payment worth up to £400 – will you get a letter on your doormat?
The council have managed to distribute the HSF to more than 14,000 households
THOUSANDS of low-income households could receive a one-off £400 payment - are you eligible?
Those struggling to cope with energy and water bills could receive support from the Government’s Household Support Fund (HSF) to help alleviate the stress of the cost of living.
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Shropshire Council has been given a further grant of £2.1 million from the scheme.
The one-off £400 payment will apply to households on low incomes in Shropshire who currently receive tax support.
The fund will continue to provide "free school meals holiday vouchers" for the five remaining weeks of the academic year.
A maximum payment of £60 will apply to those of working age who also get council tax assistance.
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The council have managed to distribute the HSF to more than 14,000 households to help with the cost of living.
So far Shropshire Council has paid £270 to 6,281 eligible households and ensured more than 8,000 children receive meal vouchers during the school holidays, they claimed.
Gwilym Butler, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for finance, corporate resources and communities, said: "I’m really pleased that we can continue to support those who are badly affected by the cost of living increases, thanks to the Government’s decision to extend the Household Support Fund.
“Like many other councils we face huge financial challenges, but we still want to help those who need it most.
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"The Household Support Fund has been a vital help for many people in Shropshire.
I’m impressed by how we have supported so many families and I’m grateful to our teams and partners who have delivered the grants and support to our local communities.
Thousands of hard-up households to get vouchers worth up to £350
"For anyone who is finding it hard to pay for everyday expenses, please visit our cost of living help webpages for advice and support."
In the Spring Budget, the Government announced it is providing further funding to enable the extension of the Household Support Fund, from 1 April 2024 until 30 September 2024.
It comes after the HSF revealed thousands of cash-strapped households could claim £200 in a one-off payment in just weeks.
East Riding Council in Yorkshire was awarded £2.61million in the latest round of funding.
The local authority is putting the cash towards dishing out £200 payments to residents on low incomes.
Eligible households include families with children of all ages, pensioners, unpaid carers, care leavers and disabled people, larger families, single-person households, and those financially in crisis.
To apply for the £200 cash payment you must apply via .
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The application form will be open until the end of August, and there can only be one application per household.
Successful applicants will receive their payment within 20 days of applying.
How has the Household Support Fund evolved?
THE Household Support Fund was first launched in October 2021 to help Brits pay their way through winter amid the cost of living crisis.
Councils up and down the country got a slice of the £500million funding available to dish out to Brits in need.
It was then extended for a second time in the 2022 Spring Budget and for a third time in October 2022 to help those on the lowest incomes with the rising cost of living.
The DWP then confirmed a fourth extension of the scheme through to March 31, 2024.
Chancellor Jeremey Hunt extended the HSF for the fifth time while delivering his Spring Budget on March 6, 2024.
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