THOUSANDS of homes around the country can get their hands on a £250 cash sum to help out with household payments.
The help comes as part of the Government’s Household Support Fund (HSF) which is worth £421 million.
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The fund has been split over different councils in England who decide how to distribute it and who is eligible for support.
That means the amount you are entitled to varies depending on where you live and it can be a bit of a postcode lottery.
It can include a range of different financial boosts, from supermarket and energy vouchers to direct cash payments.
At the moment you can apply for up to £250 via the Living Costs Payment fund from Portsmouth City Council, if you’re from a low-income household.
Other criteria apply to get the one-off payment, and you’d need to tick two boxes to get the full £250, or just one for £150.
They include low-income carers, low-income single adults and low-income homes with illness or disability.
You can also apply for the Family Voucher scheme, with the deadline on September 13 at 12pm.
If you’re focusing on the Living Costs Payment fund – you’ll need to get your application in by September 20.
A Portsmouth City Council spokesperson told The Sun the payments would be sent as direct bank transfers or vouchers, depending on the specific scheme.
The maximum amount for each include £60 per eligible child for the Family Vouchers, up to £250 for the Living Costs Payment scheme and a case-by-case sum for the Exceptional Hardship scheme.
If you’re not eligible for the Household Support Fund in your local area, it’s worth checking if you qualify for benefits.
Recent figures from Policy in Practice reveal millions of people aren’t claiming the extra help when they could be.
In total, £23billion went unclaimed over the last financial year, with £8.3billion worth of Universal Credit not claimed for.
You can apply for benefits on the Government’s website.
It’s not just extra money you get from benefits either, with a number opening up additional perks.
Those on Universal Credit can get help covering the cost of childcare, for example, while those on Pension Credit can get a free TV licence.
Those on the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit also qualify for the Warm Home Discount – a yearly £150 discount off energy bills.
You may also be able to get grants to cover your energy bills if you’ve fallen into arrears.
How has the Household Support Fund evolved?
THE Household Support Fund was first launched in October 2021 to help Brits pay their way through winter amid the cost of living crisis.
Councils up and down the country got a slice of the £500million funding available to dish out to Brits in need.
It was then extended for a second time in the 2022 Spring Budget and for a third time in October 2022 to help those on the lowest incomes with the rising cost of living.
The DWP then confirmed a fourth extension of the scheme through to March 31, 2024.
Former chancellor Jeremy Hunt extended the HSF for the fifth time while delivering his Spring Budget on March 6, 2024.