Household Support Fund
An extension to the Household Support Fund (HSF) was announced by the UK government in the Budget on 6 March 2024. This fund will cover the period from April 2024 to September 2024. On 29 April 2024 the Children and Families Committee agreed a new package of HSF support in Cheshire East.
The Household Support Fund is to provide crisis support to financially vulnerable households most in need.
The fund has been made available to support immediate needs and help those who are struggling to afford household basics including food, energy and wider essentials.
In addition, the fund is available to provide support to financially vulnerable households most in need that has a long-term sustainable impact.
What support is available
A range of support is available to help financially vulnerable adults, children and their families living in Cheshire East.
- Food and Energy support
- Financial support for wider essentials
- Financial support for exceptional costs
In addition to this the Household Support Fund will also work with select local third sector organisations to provide financial support to enhance their offer.
How you can access the support
A trusted professional will need to make a referral for you, for example, an education/school professional, support worker, family support worker, Citizen Advice, health professional, registered housing provider, domestic abuse services.
Please speak to a trusted professional who works with you, or who knows your current situation and the financial support you may need. They will be able to discuss whether support from the Household Support Fund is appropriate.
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- Two awards for food and energy can be made between 1 April 2024 and 30 September 2024. The second referral opportunity for this support opened on Monday 12 August 2024.
- You need to discuss your need for support with food and energy costs with a trusted professional
- Your trusted professional would then need to make a referral on your behalf
- Food and energy referrals will be processed within 5 working days from receipt of your trusted professional referral
- Support for food would be provided through supermarket vouchers via email from The Hawk Select Team (selectcode@select-essentials.co.uk)
- Support for energy would be provided in cash via an email from the Post Office (donotreply@postoffice-payout.co.uk)
- You must be able to access the voucher codes via a smart phone or be able to print from a computer. If you are not able to do this, you must tell your trusted professional when they make the referral
The award granted will be based on household composition. See the table below for details.
Support available
Support | Single person | Couple | Family |
Food payment via vouchers |
£60 |
£100 |
£60 single parent and £20 per child
£100 couple and £20 per child
|
Cash for energy payments via the Post Office |
£100 |
£100 |
£100 |
Wider essentials can refer to a range of items that your trusted professional believes a financially vulnerable adult, family and their children require.
- Only one award within this category will be granted between 1 April 2024 and 30 September 2024.
- A trusted professional would need to make a referral on your behalf.
- Financial support for wider essentials can be awarded up to £500.
- The support awarded may be in supermarket vouchers if appropriate or will be made via direct payment for a service/item.
- Decisions made to award this fund will be made at the HSF Decision Panel.
- Wider essential referrals will be processed within 15 working days from receipt of your trusted professional referral. If more information is required from you your trusted professional will be contacted.
- Communications regarding a referral that has been submitted will take place with the trusted professional who has made the referral on your behalf.
To make the referral, your trusted professional will need to talk to you about why you need this support, the best value for money costs involved, how receiving this support will help you move forward and what plans you have in place to reduce the need for similar support in the future.
This funding is available to support financially vulnerable adults to move forward with positive change and take steps to make this change sustainable.
The fund is available for adults who have been referred through the Care Board or who have a Corporate Appointeeship.
- Only one award within this category will be granted between 1 April 2024 and 30 September 2024.
- A trusted professional would need to make a referral on your behalf.
- Financial support can be awarded over £500.
- The support awarded would be made via direct payment for a service/item.
- Decisions made to award this fund will be made at the HSF Decision Panel.
- Exceptional cost referrals will be processed within 10 working days from receipt of your trusted professional referral. If more information is required from you your trusted professional will be contacted.
- Communications regarding a referral that has been submitted will take place with the trusted professional who has made the referral on your behalf.
To make the referral, your trusted professional will need to talk to you as they will need you to explain why you need this support, give the best value for money costs involved, explain how receiving this support will help you move forward and what plans you have in place to reduce the need for similar support in the future.
This funding is available to support financially vulnerable children and their families to move forward with positive change and take steps to make this change sustainable.
If you are accessing this fund, it is possible that your family may already be receiving additional support, through an Early Help Plan or a Social Care Plan for example. Although a support plan is not required to access this funding, you may find that an additional level of support may benefit you and your family and this may be suggested as part of the financial award.
- Only one award within this category will be granted between 1 April 2024 and 30 September 2024.
- A trusted professional would need to make a referral on your behalf.
- Financial support can be awarded over £500.
- The support awarded would be made via direct payment for a service/item.
- Decisions made to award this fund will be made at the HSF Decision Panel.
- Exceptional cost referrals will be processed within 10 working days from receipt of your trusted professional referral. If more information is required from you your trusted professional will be contacted.
To make the referral, your trusted professional will need to talk to you as they will need you to explain why you need this support, give the best value for money costs involved, explain how receiving this support will help you move forward and what plans you have in place to reduce the need for similar support in the future.
A trusted professional will need to make a referral on your behalf. Your trusted professional can request the HSF referral link via email from HSFFamily@cheshireeast.gov.uk
Household Support Fund privacy notice
Page last reviewed: 12 August 2024
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