THOUSANDS of households have been urged to check if a cost of living payment worth £50 has landed in their bank accounts today.
The money comes via the Household Support Fund (HSF) which is worth £421million in total.
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The fund has been split up between councils in England who are in charge of distributing their allocation before the end of September.
What you can get depends on where you live, as each local authority has been given its own unique amount.
Spelthorne Council, on the outskirts of West London, has been dishing out payments worth £50 to eligible households from July this year.
Anyone who qualifies for help will have received an email telling them.
You will only receive the payment if you were found to have been eligible after applying.
A maximum of one payment will be made per household and any payments are being made direct into bank accounts.
You will qualify for the £50 cash if you live in the Spelthorne area and receive one of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Job Seekers Allowance
- Income Support
- Employment Support Allowance (Income related)
- Pension Credit
Spelthorne Council said further £50 payments are being made up until today, September 23.
The fund is often aimed at those who are already on low incomes and claiming help.
But you don’t always need to be on benefits or Universal Credit to be eligible for the cash.
If you’re eligible, you should be able to get free cash and vouchers to help pay for things like heating your home or your weekly grocery shop.
Check with your local council to find out what support is available by visiting https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council.
Can I get help if I don’t live in Spelthorne?
You might be able to. The £421million HSF pot has been shared between councils in England, but not equally.
Each local authority gets to decide its own eligibility criteria.
That means what you can get, and whether you qualify, depend on where you live.
Some councils started distributing help in April and have already depleted their share, so you might have missed out for now.
The Household Support Fund has been extended multiple times since its inception in October 2021, so it may be extended again though.
There are currently a number of councils offering help via the HSF.
Leicestershire Council is handing out payments worth £300 to thousands of households.
Households in Stockport can claim up to £315 worth of free supermarket vouchers to help with the cost of living.
Meanwhile, Wokingham Council is handing out grants worth up to £140.
If you want to check if you are eligible for help, contact your local council.
You can find what council area you fall under by using the Government’s council locator tool.
How else to get help with the cost of living
If you’re not eligible for the Household Support Fund in your local area, it’s worth checking if you qualify for benefits.
Recent figures from Policy in Practice reveal millions of people aren’t claiming the extra help when they could be.
In total, £23billion went unclaimed over the last financial year, with £8.3billion worth of Universal Credit not claimed for.
You can apply for benefits on the Government’s website.
It’s not just extra money you get from benefits either, with a number opening up additional perks.
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 £421million 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.
Former chancellor Jeremy Hunt extended the HSF for the fifth time while delivering his Spring Budget on March 6, 2024.
Those on Universal Credit can get help covering the cost of childcare, for example, while those on Pension Credit can get a free TV licence.
Those on the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit also qualify for the Warm Home Discount – a £150 discount off energy bills once a year.
You may also be able to get grants to cover your energy bills if you’ve fallen into arrears.
A number of energy firms offer grants to struggling customers, including Scottish Power, Octopus Energy and British Gas.
If you’re struggling to pay your bills, speak to your supplier to see if they can give you any help.
Read more on the Scottish Sun
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