The help comes from the Household Support Fund, which is a government-funded scheme – run by the DWP – that has given local councils pots of cash to support struggling households in their area
Thousands of households can claim a free cash payment worth £100 to help with the cost of living as the government’s Household Support Fund scheme reopens.
This is a government-funded scheme – first launched in 2021 and run by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) – that has given local councils pots of cash to support struggling households in their area. Each authority decides how it wants to spend the money, and help can range from free cash payments to supermarket vouchers.
The scheme was meant to end in March this year, however, it was extended by the Labour government for an extra year with another £742million worth of funding. It will now be in place until March 2026.
Torbay Council has reopened their Household Support Fund scheme for residents living in the area and is giving away one-off payments of £100. This free payment can be used towards fuel, water, or food costs.
However, not everyone is eligible for the help. Households living in Torbay can receive it if they claim the following DWP benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
And either claim, Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payments (PIP), or Attendance Allowance and have dependent children living with you. Torbay Council says it will only be making one £100 payment per household in this round of funding – unless the scheme is “undersubscribed”.
READ MORE: Huge boost for first-time buyers as another major lender relaxes mortgage rulesREAD MORE: Over 15million households owed £200 payout – but they need to act to get the cash
You cannot claim this support if you do not live in Torbay, however you are able to claim help from your local council through their own Household Support Fund scheme. Due to this system, it means it can be a postcode lottery for the support you can get.
Each council details what support they are offering on their website – alongside its eligibility criteria. Usually, they will have a separate cost of living tab which details the help on offer.
Each council will also have a different application process for the scheme. Some ask you to apply online, while others ask you to apply over the phone. Some councils are also reaching out to those eligible directly.
You can find out who your local council is through the official Gov.uk page here. All you need to do is enter your postcode by using this link to see who your local authority is. Local councils will begin to share what help it will be offering over the next few weeks for this year’s Household Support Fund.
READ MORE: Beauty buffs snag MAC lipstick for less than £4 in little known money-saving deal