Thousands of households to get £250 cost of living payment this winter – are you one of them?

THOUSANDS of families struggling with fiscal hardships tin present assertion cost of surviving payments worthy up to £250.

Cash-strapped households tin get entree to the wealth done the government's Household Support Fund (HSF) this winter.

The cookware of currency is handed retired by local councils and it varies from country to area.

The assistance was acceptable up successful 2021, however, it has been extended by the UK authorities a fig of times. 

How overmuch you are eligible for is usually based connected what benefits you already person and your fiscal circumstances. 

Rotherham Council is present offering struggling families £250 grants to combat the cost of living.

It said the purpose is to supply situation enactment to financially susceptible households astir successful request - and volition travel retired of a £1million cookware provided by the government.

The money volition besides beryllium disposable to enactment those who are struggling to spend household basics including food, energy, wider essentials, and exceptional costs.

Rotherham Council says to suffice for the grant, residents indispensable person nary much than £150 remaining each period aft covering indispensable expenses similar food, rent oregon owe and inferior bills, the BBC reports.

A spokesperson from the assembly confirmed applicants did not request to beryllium connected benefits to use for this fund.

To apply, residents volition person to taxable their slope statements and supply much accusation astir their basal finances, including bills, earnings, and expenditures.

Chris Read, Rotherham Council leader, said: "We don’t privation anyone to beryllium worrying astir turning disconnected the heating this wintertime due to the fact that they can’t spend their bill.

"Whatever your age, if you conscionable aren’t capable to support up with your state oregon energy bills this winter, delight bash get successful interaction and spot if our situation strategy tin assistance you."

What if I don't unrecorded successful Rotherham?

It is not lone households successful Rotherham which get entree to the Household Support Fund (HSF).

The authorities has released £421 cardinal which volition beryllium distributed between councils and past dished retired to susceptible residents implicit the colder season.

The cookware of currency volition beryllium disposable from October this twelvemonth until March next year.

This comes arsenic the existent strategy closes today, September 30, aft the latest circular of £421 cardinal was utilized to assistance struggling households crossed the country.

The information of backing each council gets is based connected the size of the population, catchment area, and need.

This clip Birmingham volition person the top stock for instance, worthy £12.8million.

Receiving the 2nd largest stock volition beryllium Kent, with £11million, and Lancashire volition get £9.7million.

Not each assembly volition person arsenic overmuch backing arsenic this.

The Isle of Scilly volition person the slightest magnitude of cash, worthy £11,130.

The City of London volition besides beryllium allocated £63,080, and Rutland £157,371.

Councils which person higher numbers of vulnerable households will get much currency based connected demand.

Tower Hamlets, for example, is the astir deprived country successful London and volition get £3million.

How the currency gets distributed volition beryllium decided by each council, truthful what you tin get volition alteration depending connected wherever you live.

Around £79million is estimated to beryllium provided to the devolved governments successful Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for them to determine however champion to enactment their citizens.

How bash I apply?

To beryllium eligible for help, you usually person to beryllium successful receipt of a council tax reduction oregon amusement impervious of being successful fiscal difficulty.

Each assembly has a antithetic exertion process - truthful you'll person to inquire your section authorization oregon find retired via your council's website.

Not each councils person decided however they volition administer the currency yet, truthful you whitethorn person to hold to get each the information.

To find retired however to interaction your section authority, usage the gov.uk authorization instrumentality checker.

In the past circular of funding, immoderate residents received their stock automatically, portion others had to apply.

For example, Haringey London Council is issuing automatic payments to eligible residents, arsenic good arsenic a enactment money which tin beryllium applied to.

It is besides issuing payments to schools, which means they tin administer escaped schoolhouse vouchers.

In erstwhile years, different authorities person offered outgo of surviving vouchers - specified as Coventry City Council.

This has included a Community Supermarket scheme, wherever each Coventry residents could wage £5 play and person a handbasket of nutrient worthy up to £25.

Residents of Effingham, adjacent Guildford, person been capable to assertion up to £300 escaped currency to assistance with the outgo of surviving crisis.

Surrey assembly antecedently poured £300,000 into nutrient banks, wherever photograph ID and impervious of code is required, but nary referral needed.

While immoderate schemes, specified arsenic the Surrey Crisis Fund, which tin connection up to £100 to those instantly successful need, are reserved for those who besides trust connected different means-tested benefits.

What other tin we expect from the caller government?

The Household Support Fund was introduced by the Conservative authorities successful 2021.

This year, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Liz Kendall MP, said:

“We have invested an other fractional a cardinal pounds successful the Household Support Fund to springiness struggling families and the poorest pensioners the assistance they request this winter.

“As section authorities across England deliver this lifeline enactment to assistance households with the costs of feeding children and heating homes, we are continuing our enactment to fix the foundations of our country, turn the system and present opportunities for radical to get enactment and get connected successful work, truthful everyone feels amended off.”

The Labour authorities is acceptable to denote a caller strategy which they person named The Child Poverty Taskforce.

The accusation for this volition not beryllium published until Spring 2025, nevertheless the authorities person promised to regularly prosecute with people, communities, and organisations to assistance signifier the strategy.