The Government has announced an extension of the Household Support Fund from April 2024 until the end of September 2024 to support those most in need with the cost of living.
Further information on government cost of living assistance can be found at https://www.gov.uk/cost-of-living
The expectation is that The Fund should be used to support households in the most need; particularly those who may not be eligible for the other support that the government has recently made available but who are nevertheless in need.
Energy bills are of particular concern to low-income households during the period of the fund and local authorities should prioritise supporting households with the cost of energy.
Please read below for Frequently Asked Questions and How to Apply
Q) Will I be entitled to an assistance payment?
A) If you are a householder and receive Council Tax Support you will be entitled to a payment.
Q) I don’t receive Council Tax Support but I am struggling financially can I apply?
A) Yes- you may be entitled to discretionary assistance if you are a householder and have a low household income and you are financially struggling with the cost of living
Q) What does householder mean
A) This means that you are a liable council tax payer in respect of a household
Q) I live with friends and/or family can I claim
A) No you can’t as we do not have enough funding for this and the assistance is intended to help residents responsible for their own households and paying the bills.
Q) Some other local authorities pay vouchers and ask schools to distribute these, does Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council do the same?
a) No we don’t do this. We make set rate payments to bank accounts. Most families that receive free schools meals will qualify for a payment.
Q) How much will I receive?
A) If you are household without children receiving Council Tax Support you will get a set rate payment of £70.
If you have one or more dependent children in your household for whom you are responsible you will receive £120.
If you don’t receive Council Tax Support and are entitled to discretionary assistance the amount that you will receive will be £120.
Q) Can I claim a set rate payment and a discretionary payment as well?
A) No. Set rate payments will be made to households in receipt of Council Tax Support and discretionary payments will be made to low-income households that are not entitled to Council Tax support.
Q) If I qualify for a discretionary payment can I claim it more than once?
A) No. A household will only be able to receive one payment.
Q) When will the assistance be paid?
| where a claim has been made before 12 July 2024 | |||
| No children Payment amount | £70 | Payment date | 19-Jul-24 |
| Household with children Payment amount | £120 | Payment date | 19-Jul-24 |
| For claims made after 12 July 2024 | |||
| No children Payment amount | £70 | Payment date | 26-Sep-24 |
| Household with children Payment amount | £120 | Payment date | 26-Sep-24 |
Q) What will the payment look like in my bank account?
A) if you get a set rate payment the payment reference will show up on your bank statement with a reference beginning with HHSUP. If you get a discretionary payment the reference will start with DHSAF
Q) How do I apply
A) If you are receiving Council Tax support and have received a Household Support Fund payment in the past you do not need to re-apply. If you have not made a claim previously you will need to as we require your bank details to make a payment. Please click the link below:
If you are not entitled to Council Tax Support and you are a low income household and cannot afford to pay your bills or pay for food, apply for a discretionary payment using the link below:
Please note the above links will not be active until the end of April 2024.
Q) I want to talk to someone about this assistance scheme
A) we have a small team administering the assistance and limited resources to deal with enquiries.
We hope that we have provided enough information on this page to avoid you needing to contact us and we will update it regularly with new information.
If you have an urgent enquiry regarding the scheme you can contact us by email: HSF@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk