November 2022 – Updated Guidance on the Household Support Fund

As part of its package of support to help with the cost of living announced on 26 May 2022, the then Chancellor Rishi Sunak confirmed that the government would provide an extra £500 million of local support via the Household Support Fund to cover the period from October 2022 to March 2023.

While county councils and unitary authorities in England have discretion on exactly how the funding is used, the updated guidance stresses that the Fund is intended to cover a wide range of low-income households in need, including families with children of all ages, pensioners, unpaid carers, care leavers and disabled people. In particular, it advises that the expectation is that the Fund should be used to support households who may not be eligible for the cost of living payments and energy support also announced on 26 May 2022, but who are nevertheless in need, such as:

People who are entitled to but not claiming qualifying benefits

People who are claiming housing benefit only

People who begin a claim or return to payment of a benefit after the relevant qualifying date and

People who have fuel costs but who cannot access the £400 of energy support

The guidance adds that authorities have the ability to deliver the scheme through a variety of routes including providing vouchers to households, making direct provision of food or goods, or issuing grants to third parties, and that every area must operate at least part of their scheme on an application basis.

In respect of the devolved administrations, the DWP advises that £41 million will be for the Scottish Government, £25 million for the Welsh Government and £14 million for the Northern Ireland Executive.

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