Hard-pressed households in part of Yorkshire could receive a vital £250 cash boost to help cover essential costs like energy and food this winter, specifically targeting those who are in work but not receiving Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefits.
What is the Household Support Fund?
The Department for Work and Pensions has allocated millions of pounds to local councils across the UK through the Household Support Fund. This scheme is designed to provide a financial lifeline to residents struggling with the ongoing cost of living crisis and is set to run until March 2025.
In a significant local allocation, East Riding of Yorkshire Council has been granted £3.633 million from this central government fund. The council has announced that eligible households can apply for a one-off payment of £250 to assist with daily living costs.
Who is Eligible for the £250 Payment?
The eligibility criteria are specific, aiming to support a group often missed by other support schemes: working people on lower incomes. To qualify for the payment, you must meet all of the following conditions:
You must be a resident living within the East Riding of Yorkshire Council's council tax boundary.
You must be responsible for paying council tax, rent, or both.
Critically, you must be working but not receiving any means-tested benefits. If you are on Universal Credit, you will not be eligible for this particular payment.
Your gross annual income must be below £28,000 for single households and below £33,000 for other household types, including lone parents. Gross income includes all earnings from wages, salaries, and other forms of income before any deductions.
You must be able to demonstrate that you are in genuine financial difficulty and are unable to meet your essential living costs.
You must have savings of less than £1,000.
Application Process and Priority Groups
The local authority has stated that it will prioritise applications from individuals whose finances are severely impacted by high energy bills. They will also give priority to those in receipt of a disability benefit who have severe health conditions that are exacerbated by the cold, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), severe asthma, cardiovascular disease, and sickle cell anaemia.
It is important to note that if your household has already received a payment from the Household Support Fund or the council’s own Emergency Assistance Scheme since 1 April 2025, you will not be eligible for another payment under this scheme.
Applicants are urged to complete the online form. Once you submit or save the form, you will be given a reference number. You must quote this reference number when submitting your supporting evidence and financial information to the council.
This initiative represents a crucial source of support for working families and individuals in the East Riding who are feeling the pinch but fall outside the traditional benefits system, offering direct help for food, energy, and other essentials.
