UK households being paid free £600 payment to help get them through winter
UK households are set to land £600 payments to help get them through winter. The Household Support Fund is continuing, having been extended by the former Conservative Party during the Tories' time in power, which ended back in July.
Labour Party officials have confirmed the Household Support Fund, which sees the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) hand over cash to local authorities, will continue. Councils exercise discretion regarding the way the government-backed funds are spent, with grants ranging from £125 to £600 on offer.
London Borough of Richmond on Thames is dishing out up to £600 in help to thousands of households. The council explains: "Richmond AID and Citizens Advice Richmond (CAR) have received Household Support Funding to distribute to low-income households who are struggling and need help and support accessing food, energy bills or other household essentials.
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"This includes working households on a low income." You can apply for a grant for food, energy costs, clothing, essential equipment, etc. If your grant application is successful you can receive a grant award via a BACS payment into your account or get supermarket vouchers.
The grant amount varies according to household size, the council says. The local authority will pay up to £300 for households with 1 or more adults or up to £500 for households with 1 child or up to £600 for households and 2 children or more.
To be eligible for the grant you must be over 18 and live in the borough of Richmond and be struggling from the impact of rising costs of food. You must have reduced pay or lost job, benefits issues and be struggling to afford food, energy costs and other essentials, including white goods.
You may be eligible if you incurred extra costs as a result of Covid. Individuals with no recourse to public funds are also eligible, particularly if there are community care needs, they have serious health problems or there is a risk to a child’s wellbeing.