More vulnerable families will receive cash to pay for essential bills this winter as part of the Household Support Fund scheme being extended, the Government announced.
The exact details of the Household Support Fund will be shared “in the coming weeks” and it is part of a £421 million package for local authorities in England.
There is a £79 million kitty for devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed.
The payments will be made available to families who are eligible, with the decision made by local councils as to how the finances are distributed.
Households who are in financial hardship, or vulnerable can see what they can claim by contacting their local council. It will last from November 2024 to April 2025 and will aim to alleviate the pressure on households struggling to pay for their energy bills, food and water.
The move comes after the 10% rise of the energy price cap for the period between 1 October and 31 December 2024, with UK residents set to pay an average of £1,717 per year on gas and electricity.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “Extending the Household Support Fund is the right thing to do – provide targeted support for those who need it most as we head into the winter months.”
Liz Kendall, secretary of state for work and pensions, noted the payment boost “is a lifeline for people who are struggling with the cost of living”.
Kendall added: “The dire inheritance we face means more people are living in poverty now than 14 years ago – and this Government is taking immediate action to prevent a cliff edge of support for the most vulnerable in our society.
“At the same time, we are taking action to fix the foundations of our country through our plans to grow the economy, make work pay, and Get Britain Working again.”
However, the extension of the support fund, introduced in October 2021 during the UK’s pandemic lockdown, has been questioned by some critics as not being enough to help those of state pension age. Particularly the women born in the 1950s.
‘No amount of drives can substitute WASPI injustice’
On the week of the Government’s drive to encourage people to check if they are eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, Angela Madden, the chair of Women Against State Inequality (WASPI) believes the Keir Starmer should focus on refunding the women impacted by the state pension failings.
Madden said: “No amount of ‘drives’ to take up Pension Credit can substitute for a proper resolution to the injustice meted out to WASPI women.
“We need to see equal drive in Government to understand and implement the recommendations both of the independent parliamentary ombudsman and the cross-party pensions select committee.
“That is the minimum 1950s women should be able to expect from this new Government.”
The Work and Pensions Committee is still working on a suitable refund agreement to reimburse women born in the 1950s who were not clearly told about the state pension rise in 1995.
On the other hand, Katie Schmuecker, principal policy adviser at Joseph Rowntree Foundation described the initiative’s extension as “welcome news” but agrees that more needs to be done by the Labour Government.
Schmuecker said: “Without this extension, local emergency and crisis support was in danger of collapse in England, so it is essential that the next six months are now used to come up with a more permanent solution.
“It’s also important to recognise that this move alone is not enough, and it should be part of a broader, urgent plan to tackle the hardship, hunger and cold that millions continue to face.”
It follows the decision to make the Winter Fuel Payment means-tested, which will see around 10 million pensioners miss out on the payment. This winter, you need to receive one of a range of benefits to qualify for the cash boost. One of those is Pension Credit, which you can claim for here.
