Apply for Household Support Fund: how to apply online in 2025 as UK families to receive £500 DWP payment

• Thousands of households in the UK are set to receive up to £500 in support through the Household Support Fund
• The fund aims to assist with essential costs like food, clothing, and utility bills
• Local councils manage the distribution, with varying payment amounts depending on the region
• Specific eligibility criteria apply, with support available through vouchers, cash grants, and utility payments
• To access assistance, residents should check their local council’s website for application details and deadlines

Thousands of households will soon receive £500 payments through the government’s Household Support Fund (HSF).

The HSF is designed to help with essential costs such as food, clothing, and utility bills, providing support via vouchers and small grants to ease the financial burden of the cost-of-living crisis.

Managed by local councils, the payment amount may vary depending on the region. Below, we highlight the latest local HSF schemes announced this week.

For more details about similar programs in your area, please refer to the information at the end of this article.

Birmingham

Households in Birmingham can receive up to £200 in cost of living support. To qualify, applicants must:

• Be a Birmingham resident.
• Be experiencing financial hardship, particularly with food and energy costs.
• Not have received a £200 grant payment in the past 12 months.

To apply, complete the Hardship Grant Community Fund expression of interest form. The form includes questions to assess your eligibility for the grant. All applicants will receive an email regarding the outcome of their enquiry and the next steps.

If invited to apply, you may need to provide proof of address and evidence of receiving means-tested benefits, if applicable.

The council stated: “We strongly encourage you to use the form to submit enquiries, as they are processed more quickly. If you’re unable to access the form online, call 0121 634 7100 to express your interest.”

For more information, head to Birmingham City Council’s website

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Camden

Camden Council is one of the local authorities distributing funds to support residents.

The council has said: “If you’re facing an emergency financial situation and can’t afford essential costs, you may be eligible for a payment of up to £500 through the government-funded Household Support Fund (HSF).”

The deadline to apply for an HSF payment is 31 March 2025, and the eligibility criteria match those of the council’s Cost of Living Crisis Fund. To apply, register for their Money Advice Service.

If you need assistance registering, you can call on 020 7974 4444. Eligible residents can apply for both funds but should submit only one application at a time.

The HSF will also provide supermarket vouchers for Camden families receiving Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support with children under 18. Children attending a Camden school and registered for free school meals will also receive vouchers.

If you claim benefits such as Universal Credit, your child may qualify for this support, but they must be registered for free school meals.

Pensioners identified as low-income will receive a £300 Post Office voucher this winter to help cover bills, food, and other essentials.

For more information, head to Camden Council’s website

Doncaster

In Doncaster, residents can apply for a one-off £300 payment to help with energy costs. The scheme is available to anyone struggling to pay their energy bills, regardless of whether they receive government benefits.

But an approved "referrer" must submit the application on behalf of the household. Approved referrers include:

• Revenue and benefits teams from district and borough councils
• Council-commissioned services working directly with households (e.g. Family Support Providers)
• Family Hub partners
• Health services (e.g. Foundation Trust, NHS)
• Registered social landlords
• Police
• Council staff (e.g. support workers, social workers)
• Citizens Advice Bureau

Households can only be referred once within the six-month funding window. Therefore, if you already received the £300 payment in October, you are ineligible for further claims during this period.

If you haven’t yet received the support, you have until 31 March to apply before the current Household Support Scheme concludes.

Households needing assistance with groceries can also apply for supermarket eVouchers, valued up to £65 per household, with an additional £20 for each dependent child under 18. This support is also available through referrals.

For more information, head to the City of Doncaster Council’s website

Shropshire

Shropshire Council has received an additional £2.1 million grant to support residents in need. The funding aims to help vulnerable households in Shropshire cover essential costs, including energy and water bills, food, and other household necessities.

The fund will be distributed through both targeted payments and an application-based process to ensure support reaches a wide range of households most in need.

As part of the initiative, the council is offering a £300 targeted payment to pensioner households with low incomes who receive council tax support and/or housing benefit but do not qualify for pension credit (specific criteria apply).

Residents are encouraged to check their eligibility and contact the council for more details on how to access this support.

For more information, head to Shropshire Council’s website

Staffordshire

Staffordshire households are being offered £300 emergency payments and £65 in supermarket vouchers to help with the ongoing cost of living crisis.

The primary goal of the fund is to assist vulnerable households with energy and water bills, food, and other essential needs. The council plans to allocate the funding as follows:

Eligible children will receive £20 supermarket eVouchers during the upcoming spring half-term school holidays, while care leavers will receive a £65 supermarket eVouchers in February 2025.

Additional emergency support will be provided for care leavers, covering energy, water, food, and other essentials; referrals can be made by personal assistants supporting care leavers.

Eligible households will also receive a £65 supermarket eVoucher plus an additional £20 voucher for each dependent under 18. A one-off £300 utility payment will also be made directly to utility providers via a third party.

For more information, head to Staffordshire County Council’s website

Tameside

Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council is providing payments of up to £200 to help 2,000 households with food and fuel costs.

Single-person households can claim up to £100 (£51 for food and/or £49 for fuel), while couples and households with children can get up to £200 (£102 for food and/or £98 for fuel).

For more information, head to Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council’s website

Warwickshire

The Warwickshire Local Welfare Scheme is once again offering support through the Household Support Fund to assist residents struggling with energy bills.

Warwickshire families and households can apply regardless of whether they use pre-payment meters, pay by direct debit, or pay upon receipt of a bill.

Residents are encouraged to contact the Local Welfare Scheme team for a confidential discussion about their situation by calling 0800 408 1448 or 01926 359182, or by visiting the scheme's website.

This support is time-limited. Families eligible for benefits-based free school meals have already received this assistance as part of their recent cost of living payment.

For residents who previously received the winter fuel payment but are no longer eligible and are struggling to cover fuel costs, help is available.

Visit your local library with a form of ID and proof of your name and address, and a staff member will assist you in applying for one-off support toward energy costs.

For more information, head to Warwickshire County Council’s website

Wokingham

Wokingham Borough Council has received £500,000 to support residents in need, with assistance being provided through food vouchers and cash grants.

Food vouchers will be issued to families with children who qualify for means-tested free school meals, while pensioners, carers, and disabled people are eligible for grants worth £120.

Other households can receive grants of £60, paid directly into their bank accounts. Additional support is available for households struggling to cover the costs of food, energy bills, and other essentials, particularly for those receiving benefits.

To apply for support, you’ll need to reach out to the relevant organisation based on your age.

Residents aged 50 or over need to contact Age UK Berkshire at 0118 959 4242 or email [email protected]. for residents under 50: Contact Citizens Advice Wokingham at 0808 278 7958 or visit www.citizensadvicewokingham.org.uk/hsf.

For more information, head to Wokingham Borough Council’s website

Worcestershire

Worcestershire County Council is providing grants of up to £500 to assist households with utility costs, according to the local authority.

To qualify, applicants must:

• Be permanent residents of Worcestershire.
• Have a combined household income of no more than £31,000 (pre-tax).
• Have no household savings.
• Have at least one household member with a vulnerability, such as a disability, long-term health condition, or unmanageable debt.

Pensioners receiving pension credit should have already received a one-off payment. If you’ve recently started receiving pension credit, you’ll automatically receive a voucher in the coming weeks - no application is necessary.

Additional support includes a £75 cash voucher for pensioners, carers of any age, and individuals of any age with a disability or long-term health condition.

For more information, head to Worcestershire County Council’s website

How to apply for the HSF in your area

The Government’s website says that those who are in need of help from the Household Support Fund should contact their local council, who will help them access the fund.

To find out if you are eligible to receive assistance from the Household Support Fund in your council area, follow these steps:

• Visit your local council's website: Most councils have information about the Household Support Fund on their official websites, including eligibility criteria, application processes and contact details for further assistance.
• Check eligibility criteria: Eligibility often depends on factors such as income level, receipt of certain benefits (like Council Tax Support or Universal Credit) and specific household circumstances (e.g., having children, being a pensioner or having disabilities).
• Look for application details: Some councils provide automatic payments to eligible residents, while others require an application. Information on how to apply, necessary documentation and deadlines will typically be available on the council's website.
• Contact your council directly: If you have difficulty finding the information online, you can contact your local council's customer service or welfare support team for assistance.

If you or someone you know might be eligible for this support, we encourage you to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section.