Thousands of households could be eligible to claim up to £1,000 for help with the rising cost of living.
Residents living in Basingstoke and Deane can claim support cash through the council's Cost of Living Assistance Fund.
The Cost of Living Assistance Fund is funded through the Government's Household Support Fund and it has received an extra £1milllion for the next year.
The fund aims to provide eligible households with grants that can be used to help cover the cost of food, energy and other household bills.
To be eligible for the cash grants, you must be:
- Be a resident in the Borough
- Be a homeowner or be liable for utility bills (including paying a service charge within a tenancy for utility bills)
- Not have savings of more than £20,000
Households with two or more adults can get up to £1,000 if they have a joint income of less than £35,000.
Single households can get up to £500 with an income of up to £25,000.
Joint tenants in a property who do not combine their income can apply as single household.
According to Basingstoke and Deane Council, income from certain benefits will not be included as part of the household's income.
This includes:
- Disability living allowance,
- Personal Independence Payment,
- Attendance Allowance,
- Carers Allowance
- Child benefit and other child maintenance
This means you can claim the extra cash even if you have income from non-means-tested benefits.
You can apply for the cash through Basingstoke and Deane Council's website here.
For your application, you will need o provide your National Insurance number, and income details - such as wages, benefits and pensions - for you and your partner if you have one.
You will also need to provide details on your regular household expenditure such as mortgage payments and bills.
Once your application is received, you will be contacted by Basingstoke and Deane Council on the next steps.
The Household Support Fund is a pot of cash provided by the Government and distributed by local councils to help with the cost of living.
Each local authority gets to decide what support it offers its residents - and who is eligible for the help.
This means many households can face a postcode lottery when it comes to what help is available.
To find out what help is available to you, you should check your local authority's website or contact them directly.
You can find who your local authority is through GOV.uk here - all you need to do is enter your postcode.
