Around 40,000 Nottinghamshire households struggling to make ends meet are set to get extra support this summer and winter.
The fourth round of the Government’s Household Support Fund (HSF) is worth £11.2 million to cover a full year (March 2023 to March 2024) and will again be administered by Nottinghamshire County Council, in partnership with borough and district councils.
One-off summer and winter support payments, both worth around £100 per household, will continue to support families with children entitled to free school meals as well as other households and individuals struggling with rising costs.
Plans to share the funds include:
- £3.2 million to be shared among approx. 19,000 households with children in receipt of free school meals, or with children five or under with an equivalent eligibility.
- £3.2 million is due to distributed among approx.15,500 households where one or more persons receives or is eligible for Pension Credit.
£3.2 million to be shared among any other households struggling with rising costs, particularly those who may not be eligible for other government support, plus an additional £400,000 is being set aside to help buy white goods for those who can’t afford an oven or fridge etc. Applications for this share of the funds will once again be via a referral from a front-line worker such as housing officers, social workers or those working in benefits teams.- £500,000 due to be used as discretionary housing payments (issued via district and borough councils) to help those facing homelessness.
The first set of payments are expected later this summer. Families in receipt of free school meals or Pension Credit will be contacted directly by the county council with details of how to apply for a seasonal payment. Front-line workers will help to identify other households most in need via a referral process.
Updates on the fourth round of the Household Support Fund can be found at this webpage: www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/business-community/cost-of-living-support/nottinghamshire-household-support-fund-phase-4.
For more information about cost of living support, please visit https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/business-community/cost-of-living-support.