Earlier this year (2024), the government confirmed the household support fund would be extended for six months from April to September 2024, making a further £421million available to councils in England.
The household support fund is there to help low-income households, including families, pensioners, unpaid carers, care leavers and disabled people. It provides immediate help for those who are struggling. This could include help with energy, water, broadband and phone bills, as well as other essentials such as food, clothing, and hygiene products. The fund can also assist with transport-related costs such as car repairs, buying a bicycle or paying for fuel.
Dudley Council has been awarded more than £2.625 million in this most recent round of funding.
While a majority of this funding is being shared between council services and the voluntary sector to provide financial support to people in communities, which you can read more about online, £400,000 has been earmarked to provide one off payments to people who are struggling with living costs.
Fund update
- Applications for the Household Support Fund have now closed
Due to predicted high demand for the scheme, applications have now closed
Can I get help from anywhere else?
There is a limited amount of money available for this scheme, and we are expecting a high volume of applications. If you are unsuccessful, there is other help available on our Cost-of-Living webpages.