Low-income families will be getting more targeted support through their local councils, with an extra £421m winter boost to the Household Support Fund, the Department for Work and Pensions has announced.
The extra funding, which will be given as grants to struggling families, is available from today. Twelve local councils in the North East and Teesside will receive a total of £24,202,622.51, with the largest single recipient being Durham, which will receive £4,676,099.65.
The new pot of money, which is in line with an earlier promise by former Chancellor Rishi Sunak, will be distributed until March 31, 2023, to help poor families cover essential living expenses.
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“The Household Support Fund has been an important Government support scheme for many of those in need over the past year, and I’m very pleased that our decision to extend it means it will continue to help people with the costs of essentials - including food and energy - this winter,” said DWP minister Victoria Prentis.
To obtain grants from the Household Support Fund, applicants must contact their local authority. If you’re not sure which local council you come under, you can find out by entering your postcode into the Government’s online tool.
Household Support Fund grants are intended to help people on low incomes pay for everyday essentials. Exact eligibility criteria, and the amount of money on offer, will vary between different local authorities, who have some autonomy on how they use the Fund to reach the vulnerable people in their communities. In Darlington last year, the council worked with a local organisation to sell end-of-day supermarket goods to families for £7.50 for three bags of shopping.
The Government has valued its package of cost of living support at £15 billion. Cost of living payments worth £650 are being paid to around eight million people on means-tested benefits, and six million disabled people have been paid a separate £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment.
A £400 reduction on energy bills is being given to all domestic electricity customers from this month in addition to a new energy price guarantee which will cap energy use at £2,500 for the average family. Earlier this year, a £150 Council Tax rebate was given to those in Council Tax bands A-D in England.
The full breakdown of the cash in the North East is:
Durham: £4,676,099.65
Gateshead: £1,836,629.95
Newcastle: £2,898,403.85
North Tyneside: £1,609,998.05
Northumberland: £2,480,330.00
South Tyneside: £1,484,854.01
Sunderland: 2,673,561.91
In addition, councils in the south of the region will receive:
Hartlepool: £993,021.25
Middlesbrough: £1,653,614.95
Redcar and Cleveland: £1,296,381.17
Stockton-on-Tees: £1,685,873.97
Darlington: £913,853.75
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