Financial support planned for 40,000 Notts households this summer

The fifth round of the Government’s Household Support Fund (HSF) is worth £5.6 million to cover six months (April to September 2024) and will once again be administered by Nottinghamshire County Council in partnership with borough and district councils.

One-off summer payments, each worth around £100 per household will continue to support families with children entitled to free school meals as well as other households and individuals with rising costs.

Plans to share the funds include:

*£1.55 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;

*£1.55 million is due to distributed among approx. 15,500 households where one or more person receives or is eligible for Pension Credit;

*£1.55 million to be shared among any other households impacted with rising costs, particularly those who may not be eligible for other government support, plus an additional £300,000 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 benefit teams;

*£250,000 used as discretionary housing payments to help those at risk of being homeless.

*£75,000 invested into Citizens Advice to help it continue its essential advice and support service for residents across the county.

The first set of payments are expected later this summer. Families in receipt of free school meals or Pension Credit will once again be contacted directly by the county council with details of how to apply for a seasonal payment. Front-line workers will be once again help identify other households most in need via a referral process.

Councillor Gordon Wheeler, Deputy Cabinet Member for Communities and Public Health said:

“It is good news that the government has extended this funding for a further six months.

“Working with a wide range of partners, we will once again make sure this funding goes to those who need it the most, including those who may not be eligible for other government support and are in need of essential items such as ovens and fridges.

“Given the high level of help, support, guidance provided by Citizens Advice to many residents impacted by rising costs, £75,000 is being invested into this charity organisation to help them to continue this vital work.

“Later this summer we will be in direct contact with those who are eligible for this financial support, so we thank everyone in advance for their patience.”

For the fourth round of HSF which ended on 31 March, the county council delivered a one-off winter and summer support voucher payment worth around £100 for each eligible household to use towards essential household costs, such as food, energy, and water bills.

The support provided included:

• £3.3m worth of support which benefitted more than 19,000 families with children eligible for free school meals or equivalent;• More than £2.5 million distributed to help more than 15,000 vulnerable people of a pensionable age;• Front line workers helped identify more than 7,000 households most in need, particularly those not eligible for other government help. Support worth over £350k was allocated on a referral basis plus an additional £600,000 was spent providing basic white good items such as ovens and fridges to those who can’t afford to buy them or have them replaced;• £500,000 used as discretionary housing payments to help those at risk of being homeless.

Updates on the fifth round of the Household Support Fund will be made here:www.nottscc.gov.uk/householdsupportfund

For other financial support, there's a dedicated webpage:www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/business-community/cost-of-living-support