Huge £34m cash pot for struggling families that you can claim within days

Shoppers on Clumber Street in Nottingham city centre
-Credit: (Image: Nottingham Post)


An extra £34 million is being provided to ten local authorities in the East Midlands to help struggling families with the costs of essentials. The funding is set to help 400,000 households who are living in poverty with the cost of energy as well as their food and water bills.

This extra funding is part of the £421 million extension to the Household Support Fund across England. The fund will be available from Tuesday, October 1, until March 31, 2025, and is set to support community groups and projects to help struggling households.

It has been reported that around 300,000 children and 100,000 pensioners are living in relative poverty after housing costs in the East Midlands. It was also found that 2.8 million people are out of work due to sickness.

Households in the East Midlands who are in need of additional financial support can apply for help from the fund through their local authority. Each council is responsible for distributing funds based on resident needs.

Funding can also be allocated to charities and third-sector partners to provide a range of services and products like baby boxes, heating appliances and school uniforms. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall MP said: "Despite all the problems we have inherited, this Government has invested an extra half a billion pounds in the Household Support Fund, so we can families and the poorest pensioners who need it most this winter.

“This £34 million boost will support families who need it in the East Midlands with the costs of feeding children, heating the home, or helping people get to work. This comes alongside our work to fix the foundations of our country, grow the economy and deliver opportunities for people to get work and get on in work, so everyone feels better off."