Thousands of households on benefits are now eligible for £100 cost of living payment – check if you need to apply

THOUSANDS of households can get a £100 cost of living payment to help with key household bills.

The cash support is available through the government’s Household Support Fund.

The scheme works by handing councils up and down the country a slice of funding available to dish out to Brits in need.

Each local authority gets a different portion of funding depending on the size of the catchment area, population, and number of vulnerable households.

The voucher or grant amounts vary by location, so you must check to see what you can get and how your council will pay you.

For example, thousands of residents in the London Borough of Haringey could be eligible for a £100 cash grant in the coming weeks.

The funding will be split between: 

• Automatic payments to eligible residents 
• Payments issued by schools to students getting free school meals 
• An application-based scheme for those ineligible for automatic payments.

Some eligible residents will get an automatic payment, and the council will identify the residents who need support through its benefits and support records.

This could include households claiming:

• Housing benefit 
• Council tax reduction 
• Other direct council support

If you get an automatic payment, it does not affect your benefits, and you do not have to pay it back. 

You can spend the money on whatever you like, including food, energy or anything else you need support with.

Schools will give payment vouchers to children getting free school meals to provide support during school holidays. 

Automatic payments will be issued in the form of a Post Office voucher.

You can cash your voucher at any of the UK’s 11,500 Post Office branches.

When cashing your voucher, you must show one of these forms of identification: 

• A utility bill, like a gas or electricity bill, dated within the last 3 months 
• A bank statement dated within the last 3 months 
• Your valid passport or driving licence 
• A debit or credit card in your name 

If you do not receive automatic payments and need support, you can apply for the Haringey Support Fund. 

You can apply if you get one of these benefits:   

• Universal Credit  
• Income-based jobseekers’ allowance  
• Income-based employment and support allowance  
• Incapacity benefit  
• Pension credit  
• Income support  
• Severe disablement allowance  
• Contribution-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) or employment and support allowance (ESA)  
• Working tax credit  
• Child tax credit   

You can also apply if you’re on a low income and aren’t claiming any of the benefits listed above.

As a guide, apart from in exceptional circumstances, for the Support Fund, low income means less than:  

• £500 after tax per week for a family  
• £350 after tax per week for an individual  

Payments for the application-based part of the council’s Household Support Fund are paid directly into bank accounts.

Find out more by visiting www.new.haringey.gov.uk/community-safety-antisocial-behaviour/household-support-fund.

What if I don’t live in Haringey?

To get the help, you’ll need to check with your council – as local authorities are in charge of distributing the funding.

To find your local council, use the gov.uk council finder tool.

Once you’ve found your council, there should be information on how to apply on its website.

Each council will have a different application process – so exact details on how to apply will vary depending on where you live.

That means that the eligibility requirements to access the fund could also vary.

Some councils won’t require you to apply for the help and they’ll contact you about it instead if you qualify.

If there’s no information on your council’s website, then it’s best to ring them up and ask for more information.

What are other councils offering?

Residents in Blackpool can receive up to £300 in support from the Household Support Fund.

Those living in Bracknell Forest could be eligible for a £315 cash grant.

Low-income households in Cambridgeshire can apply for a financial award of £110 per household.

Those living in Falkirk in receipt of a council tax reduction, housing benefit, Universal Credit, income support, jobseekers allowance or pension credit can apply for up to £470 in cash support.

Middlesborough is awarding hard-up families up to £70.

Rutland County Council will provide one payment of £200 to care leavers this month.