Household Support Fund

We have received further funding from the Department for Work and Pensions, extending the Household Support Fund to support the most vulnerable households in the most need with food, energy and utility bills as well as for other wider essential costs. Particularly those who may not be eligible for the other support government has recently made available.

The government guidance is clear that the Household Support Fund is there to help low income households, including families, unpaid carers, care leavers and disabled people.

The scheme is available until 31 March 2024 or until funds are fully exhausted. Trafford's allocation is £2,916,149, with the majority of the fund disbursed to families with children eligible for free school meals to support with food during the school holiday periods.

How the Household Support Fund is being spent

Payments will be made through a combination of automatic payments and online applications.

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Support for Low Income Households Privately Renting/Owner Occupiers

You do not need to be in receipt of benefits to apply.

Households on a low income* living in a privately rented property or are an owner occupier with a mortgage will be eligible to apply online for support of up to 2 awards per household to help towards essential costs related to energy, food and water. The applications will be processed on a first come first serve basis or until funding is exhausted.

How to apply

Eligible residents have the opportunity to access this element of fund by completing an online application form.

If you are eligible, we will make a £100 payment per household directly into your bank account.

You must meet the following criteria:

  • You live in the borough of Trafford and are liable for Council Tax at the address you are claiming a Household Support Fund payment from (if you don't live in Trafford borough, you must apply to your own local authority)

  • Be aged 16 years or more

  • You must pay rent on the house you live in and occupy to either a private landlord (not including a housing association), or are responsible for paying a monthly mortgage.

  • You are not in receipt of a benefit that qualifies you to receive the cost of living payments

  • Your total net annual income, after rent/mortgage, fuel and water bills have been paid, is below the following thresholds:

    •      Single household £14,753*
    •      All other households £22,020*

Supporting information

If you make a claim you will need to provide evidence to support it as follows:

  • Proof of you and your partner’s income, such as recent payslips and/or bank statements. This must be no more than 3 months old

  • Proof that you are privately renting or are paying a monthly mortgage for  example a tenancy agreement or mortgage statement

  • Recent proof (less than 3 months old) of fuel and water costs, such as a recent bill or a bank statement clearly showing the name of the fuel/water provider and amount. If you are on a pre-paid meter a copy of your top-up receipt will suffice 

  • A valid bank statement showing the account holders name, address, sort code and account number to allow for payment to be made via BACS. This must be no more than 3 months old.

All applications will be assessed to confirm eligibility. Should insufficient evidence be supplied to support an application, the applicant will be informed and supported to rectify this in a timely manner.

If evidence requests are not responded to within 14 days from the date of request the application cannot be processed and will be declined.

We will aim to process all applications within 14 days from the date all information is received. If you are successful you will receive a payment into your bank account within 10 working days from the date a decision is made.

Apply online

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Free School Meals - school holiday support

For school holidays, we will be providing support to parents and carers to purchase food for their children during the school holidays.

Eligibility 

Households who are registered with us as having children eligible for means tested free school meals and/or are in receipt of Council Tax Support will receive support of £15 per week per child.

How to apply

If your child qualifies and you live in Trafford, you will need to apply online. Your child’s school will email you with more details and how to apply.

For more information about the award visit our free school meal holiday award page.

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Support for Pensioners households

Households with Pensioners in receipt of some Council Tax Support but not in receipt of a Cost of Living qualifying benefit (such as Pension Credits) will receive support of up to 2 awards per household to help towards essential costs related to energy, food and water.

How to apply

You do not need to apply. If you are eligible, we will send out support to households who are entitled via a £100 Post Office Cash Voucher in 2 instalments over the year.

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Support for Care Leavers

Households in receipt of a Council Tax Care Leavers reduction and/or exemption will receive support of up to 2 awards per household to help towards essential costs related to energy, food and water.

How to apply

You do not need to apply. If you are eligible, we will send out support to households who are entitled via a £100 Post Office Cash Voucher in 2 instalments over the year.

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Support for households with disabled family members

The following households will receive support of up 2 awards per household to help towards essential costs related to energy, food and water. A member of the household is:

  • In receipt of a council tax disabled band reduction or a council tax severely mentally impaired discount or exemption

and/or

  • In receipt of an ‘at home’ adult social care package who have been financially assessed as having some Council funding towards the cost of their care, but are not in receipt of a Cost of Living qualifying benefit (such as Income based ESA/JSA, Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Tax Credits)  

and/or

  • In receipt of an ‘at home’ children’s social care package funded by the Council

How to apply

You do not need to apply. If you are eligible, we will send out support to households who are entitled via a £100 Post Office Cash Voucher in 2 instalments over the year.

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Support for Carers

Households in receipt of a Council Tax Carers reduction and/or exemption will receive support of up to 2 awards per household to help towards essential costs related to energy, food and water.

How to apply

You do not need to apply. If you are eligible, we will send out support to households who are entitled via a £100 Post Office Cash Voucher in 2 instalments over the year.

Details on how to cash your Post Office Payout® Voucher.

Other support

Support for wider essentials, activities and services will be provided by the six Community Response Hubs that are hosted by voluntary sector organisations located across Trafford. They can by approached directly, visit the Community Hubs website and ask about the Household Support Grant.

You can also find out what other support is available to help with the cost of living on the pages listed below.  This includes income and disability benefits, bills and allowances, childcare, housing and travel.

Scheme terms and conditions

We reserve the right to vary the terms of the scheme including the value of awards made under the scheme, at any time, and without notice, should it be necessary to do so.  

The government guidance is clear that the Household Support Fund is there to help low income households, including families, unpaid carers, care leavers and disabled people.

The scheme is available until 31 March 2024 or until funds are fully exhausted. Trafford's allocation is £2,916,149, with the majority of the fund disbursed to families with children eligible for free school meals to support with food during the school holiday periods.

Direct awards are based on data held within the Councils relevant systems as at 1 April 2023 for the first instalment which will be paid between May and July, and the 1 October 2023 for the second instalment which will be paid between November and January.

Online applications can be awarded for eligible customers twice per household between April 2023 and March 2024 or until funds have been exhausted. One of the awards must be over the winter months (October to February).

The Government and the Council will not accept deliberate manipulation and fraud - and any resident caught falsifying their records, or evidence of need to gain grant money will face prosecution and any funding issued will be subject to claw back from future awards, as may any grants paid in error.  

All data submitted in relation to an application for this scheme will be shared across departments of Trafford Council, National Government and approved suppliers of anti-fraud services, for the purposes of preventing fraud, in line with GDPR regulations.    

We do not accept any liability for any issues that may arise for residents because of applying for, receiving, or not receiving grant payments under this scheme.  

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How to appeal

If you’ve been refused an award under the Household Support Fund or you’re awarded less support than requested, you can ask us to review the decision within one month of being notified of the decision. 

Complete an appeal form online.