Household support fund

Information about the household support fund and how to access it can be found here.

Household support fund

Information about the household support fund and how to access it can be found here.

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. We will update this page with further details in the near future.   

Further information on government cost of living assistance can be found at https://www.gov.uk/cost-of-living

Current funding covers the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 inclusive. The cut off date for making a claim is 5:00pm Friday 15th March 2024.  

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 have a low household income and you are financially struggling with the cost of living

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 £110.

If you have one or more dependent children in your household for whom you are responsible you will receive £220.

If you don’t receive Council Tax Support and are entitled to discretionary assistance the amount that you will receive will be £300.

An additional £60 top up payment will also be made to eligible households on 15 March 2024.  

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?

For set rate payments where a claim has been made before 14 July 2023      
No children Payment amount £55 Payment date 21 July 2023
No children Payment amount £55 Payment date 15 December 2023
Top up payment £60 Payment date 15 March 2024
Total £170      
Household with children Payment amount £110 Payment date 21 July 2023
Household with children Payment amount £110 Payment date 15 December 2023
Top up payment                      £60 Payment date 15 March 2024
Total £280      

 

 

For set rate payments made after 14 July 2023      
No children Payment amount £110 Payment date 15 December 2023
Top up payment £60 Payment date 15 March 2024
Total £170      
Household with children Payment amount £220 Payment date 15 December 2023
Top up payment £60 Payment date 15 March 2024
Total £280      

 

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 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 no longer be active from 15 March 2024 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