MILLIONS of hard-up households can claim free cash from their local council via the government's Household Support Fund (HSF).<\/p>\n

The cash is dished out from a pot of \u00a3842million by the Department for Work and Pensions.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Location is key but depending on where you live you could be in line for up to \u00a31,000 in cash or vouchers.<\/p>\n

The fund is usually given out based on your financial circumstances and what benefits you receive.<\/p>\n

It's designed to help the most hard-up families struggling with the cost of living.<\/p>\n

But what is the Household Support Fund, and how do you apply for the help? Below we explain all you need to know.<\/p>\n

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What is the Household Support Fund?<\/h2>\n

The Household Support Fund was first\u00a0launched in October\u00a02021 to help Brits pay their way through winter amid the cost of living crisis.<\/p>\n

Councils up and down the country got a slice of the \u00a3500million funding available to dish out to Brits in need.<\/p>\n

It was then extended for a second time in the\u00a0Spring Budget\u00a0and for a third time in November to help those on the lowest incomes with the rising cost of living.<\/p>\n

The DWP has confirmed a fourth extension of the scheme through to March 31, 2024.<\/p>\n

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The help you can get varies depending on who your local council is, as well as your personal situation.<\/p>\n

But you may be able to get free cash and vouchers to help pay for things like heating your home or to cover costs of your weekly grocery shop.<\/p>\n

If an applicant is already receiving benefits, these will not be affected by the HSF.<\/p>\n

And, you do not need to be getting benefits to receive vouchers or funds from the HSF.<\/p>\n

Every council will provide the means they feel best suits<\/span> their area.<\/p>\n

Check with your local council to find out what support is available and the eligibility criteria.<\/p>\n

Thousands of residents in\u00a0Nottinghamshire\u00a0will be given \u00a3100 in free cash but they needed to apply by September 30.<\/p>\n

Buckinghamshire\u00a0Council have also extended their support after receiving \u00a34.8million for April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024.<\/p>\n

For example, those living in West Devon received up to \u00a3400.<\/p>\n

How do you apply?<\/h2>\n

To get the help, you'll need to check with your council – as local authorities are in charge of distributing the funding.<\/p>\n

To find your local council, use the gov.uk council finder tool.<\/p>\n

Once you've found your council, there should be information on how to apply for the funding on its website.<\/p>\n

Each council will have a different application process – so exact details on how to apply will vary depending on where you live.<\/p>\n

That means that the eligibility requirements to access the fund could also vary – it's best to check with your local council for more details.<\/p>\n

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Some councils won't require you to apply for the help and they'll contact you about it instead if you qualify.<\/p>\n

If there's no information on your council's website, then its best to ring them up and ask for more information.<\/p>\n

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing\u00a0money-sm@news.co.uk<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

You can also join our new Sun Money Facebook group to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group\u00a0members.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Source: Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

MILLIONS of hard-up households can claim free cash from their local council via the government's Household Support Fund (HSF). The cash is dished out from a pot of \u00a3842million by the Department for Work and Pensions. Location is key but depending on where you live you could be in line for up to \u00a31,000 in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":142209,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n