THOUSANDS of struggling households have just hours left to claim £120 – but you must act before midnight.
The cash boost is part of the Household Support Fund (HSF), a £421million pot, which helps low-income families with food, energy bills, and essentials.
Households in Redcar and Cleveland can get up to £120 in free supermarket vouchers[/caption]
Residents in Redcar and Cleveland can apply for the support – but the deadline is 11:59pm tonight (March 13).
Who is eligible?
The scheme is open to:
- Households receiving Council Tax Support – entitled to a £70 payment (no children) or £120 (households with children).
- Low-income households struggling financially – may qualify for a £120 discretionary payment.
However, only one payment per household is allowed, and those living with friends or family cannot claim.
How will payments be made?
- Payments will be made directly into bank accounts – Redcar and Cleveland Council does not issue vouchers like some other councils.
- If you qualify, look out for HHSUP or DHSAF on your bank statement as the payment reference.
- Payments will be made on March 26, 2025, for claims submitted after December 13, 2024.
How to apply
- If you already receive Council Tax Support and got a Household Support Fund payment before, you do not need to reapply.
- If you haven’t claimed before, you must apply and provide your bank details.
- Apply now on Redcar and Cleveland Council’s website.
The Government has confirmed an extension of the Household Support Fund, running from October 2024 until March 2025, meaning more support may be available later this year.
Help for those who live outside Redcar and Cleveland
Despite councils having until March 31 to allocate their share of the latest round of Household Support Fund, some have already closed for applications.
Councils have had until last October to distribute their share to residents in need.
However, some local authorities may still be accepting applications for support from struggling households.
Whether you will be eligible for support depends on where you live as each council sets its own eligibility criteria.
However, if you on a low income, benefits or financially vulnerable, you will likely qualify for support.
The best thing to do is speak to your local council to see what help is on offer. You can find what council area you fall under by visiting www.gov.uk/find-local-council.
For more government cost of living support, visit gov.uk/cost-of-living.
Other help you can claim
If you’re not eligible for the Household Support Fund, you might qualify for other forms of help to cover energy bills or food.
Several energy firms offer grants to households who are struggling to pay their energy bills worth up to £2,000.
This includes British Gas, Octopus Energy and EDF.
New parents might also be eligible for free food worth up to £442 a year to cover the cost of healthy food and milk via the Healthy Start scheme.
Or, you can get an emergency food parcel from a Trussell Trust food bank.
You can find your nearest via www.trussell.org.uk/emergency-food/find-a-foodbank.
To get a food parcel, you need a voucher from a community organisation like Citizens Advice or your GP. You can then exchange this voucher for a food parcel at the food bank.
It’s also worth checking if you’re eligible for benefits if you haven’t already – billions of pounds worth is going unclaimed, according to Policy in Practice.
There are three free calculators you can use to see what you might be entitled to:
- Policy in Practice better off calculator
- entitledto benefits calculator
- Turn2us benefits calculator
