THOUSANDS of households can get up to £650 free cash straight into their bank accounts to help with rising costs.
The help is being dished out under the latest round of £421million funding given by the government to the Household Support Fund.
Thousands of households have just weeks left to get £650 free cashAlamy
Councils have been given a slice of the new funding on offer, which will be given out to struggling households to help them with the rising cost of bills and food.
Each council gets a different portion of funding depending on the size of the catchment area, population, and need.
The vouchers or grants on offer vary by location so you’ll have to check to see what you can get and how your council will pay you.
You’ll usually need to be on a low income to receive the help.
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council is offering families £650 free cash to help with bills.
The council is giving the cash out to families who may not have been eligible for the government’s Cost of Living payment last year.
The cash is being split into two payments but some households may be able to get both if they meet the criteria.
Residents have to be on the following benefits to qualify:
Universal CreditIncome-based Jobseekers AllowanceIncome-based EmploymentSupport AllowanceIncome SupportPension CreditChild Tax CreditWorking Tax Credit
To get the first £326 payment you must not have received the £326 first cost of living payment from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
You must be on one of the qualifying benefits for an assessment period on or after May 26, 2022 and before August 25, 2022.
Plus, you or your partner must be liable for the energy costs at the property you’re applying for.
For the second payment households must not have received the £324 second cost of living payment from the DWP.
You must be on one of the qualifying benefits for an assessment period on or after September 26, 2022 and before March 31, 2023.
You or your partner must also be liable for the energy costs of the property.
If you’re found to be eligible you’ll get the money direct into your bank account.
You can apply for the scheme on the council website before March 31.
Make sure to keep an eye on the council’s website for updates and more information.
Other councils such as Runnymede in Surrey are also offering cash payments of up to £800 to residents.
Can I get help if I don’t live in Barnsley?
Yes – you can still get help under the Household Support Fund.
What support you can get will vary, because each council is in charge of how to spend the funding available.
Some decide to dish the help out automatically, while you’ll need to apply in other cases.
Some councils choose to distribute funding in the form of vouchers, while others give out cash payments.
To get more information on what support is available, and how to get it, you’ll need to contact your local council.
You can find yours using the gov.uk council checker tool.
What can I get?
Councils decide how to distribute their funding.
But in the last round of funding, you could get up to £250 in free cash support from some councils – like Rother in Sussex.
For example, thousands of residents in Luton are due electronic vouchers to help pay for food and other household essentials.
North Yorkshire council is giving out £325 help for struggling households.
Check your local council to see what it’s offering.
What help can I get if I’m struggling?
Millions of households started receiving a £400 energy bill discount from October 1.
Households will have already received a £66 and £67 payments every month.
There will also be a payment worth £67 in March.
Between November 2022 and March 2023, a £300 one-off “Pensioner Cost of Living Payment” is being paid out to eight million households.
It is being given to those who already get the winter fuel payment – which is worth between £100 and £300 for those over state pension age.
Millions of households have also started to get the £150 Warm Home Discount between December 2022 and March 2023.
Meanwhile, the government is pumping a further £842million into the HSF after March 31 which councils are giving out.
It means that further support will be available to families under the scheme again until 2024.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]