Some households can apply for up to £400 to help with food and energy bills

Some households can apply for up to £400 to help with food and energy bills over the winter.

It’s part of a government-funded scheme which is set to close in March.

The household support fund, which was set up to help vulnerable people and families, was extended by the government for the rest of this financial year.

A extra £500m was made available across the country in March with a six-month extension of the scheme taking the total value of the fund to £1bn.

Councils are distributing the cash from the scheme which is separate to the cost of living payments from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Some payments will be made automatically, while others will have to apply.

Money from the scheme is also being spent on school holiday funding, cash for care leavers and financial support for the charity and voluntary sector.

There will also be targeted help available for people who need it most.

In Manchester, most residents who are eligible will be contacted by the council and invited to apply, but some people have to actively apply or risk missing out.

For example, Manchester residents who live in a park home, houseboat or off the grid and do not qualify for the £400 Energy Bill Support Scheme Payment would have to apply for a Household Support Fund payment of up to £400.

Payments will be made directly to the bank accounts of Manchester residents who only receive housing benefits and have not had a cost-of-living payment.

Some residents who are entitled to council tax support should also be paid.

In Salford, residents do not need to be in receipt of benefits to apply for the Household Support Fund, however applicants need to provide evidence that they do not have the funds themselves to purchase the items requested.

Residents who need support can apply directly for funding online with the money available by way of a grant payment via vouchers to those eligible.

Salford councillor Sharmina August, who is the lead member for Inclusive Economy, Anti-Poverty and Equalities at the council, said there have been approximately 20,000 applications since the fund launched in October 2021.

This third round of the household support fund, for which 4,500 applications have been received so far, is prioritising food and fuel for residents in Salford.

She said: “Tackling poverty is a key priority for many years in Salford and the council and our partners provide a wide range of support.

“We have pulled information about that extensive support together into cost of living pages so people can easily find what they need.

“The council’s Salford Assist scheme runs all year round to help people in crisis who need emergency food, fuel or household goods.”

For more information on how each local authority is running the scheme, who is eligible for the payments and how to apply, visit your council’s website.

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