THOUSANDS of cash-strapped households are being urged to act and claim £200 in one-off payments.

Islington Council was allocated money to distribute to residents under the Household Support Fund (HSF).

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The HSF offers help to the most hard-up households and has been extended several times since it was introduced by Government in 2021.

Funding is given to local councils to distribute, so the support available varies across the country.

If you live in Islington and your household includes children or adults who receive disability benefits, you may be eligible for a one-off payment of £200.

The grant is to help Islington residents who get a higher rate of disability benefit or any rate of disability benefit for a child and are struggling with the cost of everyday essentials.

Funding is limited, so there will be one award per household and awards will go to those who meet the eligibility criteria on a first come, first served basis.

Islington Council say they will close the scheme when they have received enough applications to spend the full amount of funding.

They will check the Council Tax and Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) information to make sure that you:

• Live at the address you claim
• Have to pay Council Tax
• Get an eligible benefit

To apply for help you must:

• Live in Islington – this must be your main and permanent address
• Receive a means-tested welfare benefit and receive a higher rate of disability benefit or any disability benefit for your child.

If you are successful then you will be notified of the council’s decision by email or post.

The £200 will then be paid into your bank account by bank transfer.

Alternatively an award letter will be issued which you can take to your nearest Post Office to collect a one-off cash payment.

Cash support is available through the government’s Household Support Fund.

The scheme works by handing councils up and down the country a slice of funding available to dish out to Brits in need.

The voucher or grant amounts vary by location, so you must check to see what you can get and how your council will pay you.

The national scheme was renewed for the fifth time in April 2024, and more and more councils are beginning to share their local scheme’s criteria.

How to find what funding your local council offers

To get the help, you’ll need to check with your council – as local authorities are in charge of distributing the funding.

To find your local council, use the gov.uk council finder tool.

Once you’ve found your council, there should be information on how to apply on its website.

Each council will have a different application process – so exact details on how to apply will vary depending on where you live.

That means that the eligibility requirements to access the fund could also vary.

Some councils won’t require you to apply for the help and they’ll contact you about it instead if you qualify.

If there’s no information on your council’s website, then it’s best to ring them up and ask for more information.