UK households can apply for £500 Cost of Living payments from DWP

UK households can apply for £500 Cost of Living payments from MONDAY, a local authority says. Cheshire East Council has explained the third referral opportunity for the Household Support Fund (from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)) will open on Monday 16 September 2024.

You need to discuss your need for support with food and energy costs with a trusted professional. Your trusted professional would then need to make a referral on your behalf. Food and energy referrals will be processed within 5 working days from receipt of your trusted professional referral.

Support for food would be provided through supermarket vouchers via email from The Hawk Select Team. Support for energy would be provided in cash via an email from the Post Office (donotreply@postoffice-payout.co.uk) and you must be able to access the voucher codes via a smart phone or be able to print from a computer.

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If you are not able to do this, you must tell your trusted professional when they make the referral. The award granted will be based on household composition. Families can access wider essential support which can range from £500 and upwards. To get this support, you will need to be referred by a "trusted professional" with the money being paid by direct debit for a service/item.

To make the referral, your trusted professional will need to talk to you as they will need you to explain why you need this support, give the best value for money costs involved, explain how receiving this support will help you move forward and what plans you have in place to reduce the need for similar support in the future.

The local authority states: "A trusted professional will need to make a referral on your behalf. Your trusted professional can request the HSF referral link via email from HSFFamily@cheshireeast.gov.uk."