Exact date hard-up households can apply for support worth £200 to help with energy bills
THE date hard-up households can apply for support worth £200 to help with energy bills and other costs has been revealed.
Cash-strapped households can get access to the money through the government’s Household Support Fund (HSF).
The aid was set up in 2021, however, it has been extended by the UK government a number of times.
How much you are eligible for is usually based on what benefits you already receive and your financial circumstances.
The pot of cash is handed out by local councils and it varies from area to area.
In Islington, households will soon be able to apply for cash grants worth £200 to help with costs.
The council said to be eligible for the cash applicants must be a recognised carer and receive one or more of the following:
- Carer’s Allowance
- Carer Element – Paid as part of your Universal Credit assessment.
- Carer Premium – Included in your Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or Housing Benefit.
- Underlying Entitlement to Carer’s Allowance – This could be where you are of state pension age and have made a successful claim for Carer’s Allowance but are not receiving it because your pension is too high, or the Carer’s Allowance stopped when you received your state pension.
- Some Carer’s Allowance in Addition to Your State Pension (you must be of state pension age).
- Carer’s Addition – Included with your Pension Credit payment (you must be of state pension age).
- Carer’s Direct Payment from Islington Council
If you receive any of this support you can apply for the support from the start of January 2025, by visiting www.islington.gov.uk.
The money will be paid directly into your account.
If you think you could be eligible but are not claiming any kind of carer support it may be worth getting in touch with the council.
This is to check if you are missing out on benefits you could be entitled to.
WHAT IF I DON’T LIVE IN ISLINGTON?
What you can get depends on where you live and what support is available.
Each local council receives a portion of the £421million fund, which is then distributed to residents based on need.
Some councils may provide direct cash payments, while others issue vouchers to help cover essentials like energy or food.
How the money is distributed will vary, so it’s important to check with your local authority.
HOW TO KNOW IF YOU QUALIFY
Financial support available to struggling households varies from council to council, so it is worth checking what schemes your local council offers to ensure you get all the support you need.
The benefits you already receive will not be impacted by applying for the HSF.
And, you do not necessarily need to receive benefits in the first place to get vouchers or funds from the HSF.
Are you missing out on benefits?
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Charity Turn2Us’ benefits calculator works out what you could get.
Entitledto’s free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto’s data.
You can use Policy in Practice’s calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you’ll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.