Thousands of households across the UK who are not receiving traditional Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefits could be eligible for a crucial financial boost of up to £300 to help with rising living costs.
Direct Bill Support for Struggling Residents
This vital support is being distributed through the Household Support Fund, a scheme designed to provide short-term financial aid to those struggling to meet immediate needs. A key feature of this fund is that there is no requirement to be in receipt of Universal Credit or other DWP benefits to apply, making it a lifeline for working families and individuals who fall outside the standard welfare net but are still facing significant financial pressure.
Blackpool Council is one of the local authorities actively administering these payments. The fund is specifically aimed at helping residents who are struggling to pay for essential household energy or water costs.
Payment Amounts and Eligibility Criteria
The amount awarded depends on the size of the household. An award of £200 will be made to qualifying households of one or two people, which includes any children residing at the address. For larger families, an award of £300 will be made to households of three or more people.
To qualify for the scheme, applicants must be over the age of 16 and be responsible for paying the utility bills for their property. Crucially, they must be a permanent resident of Blackpool, as this specific scheme is open to Blackpool residents only. All household members, including children, must be permanent residents at the supply address, with child benefit payments registered there.
The council has emphasised that households must be experiencing financial hardship and struggling to meet immediate short-term needs. Due to limited funding, only one award will be made per household within a 12-month period.
How to Apply for the Fund
If a application is successful, the payment will not be made directly to the resident. Instead, the award will be paid directly to the energy provider or United Utilities. It will then appear as a credit on the recipient's bill or on their pre-payment gas or electric meter.
Applicants need to be prepared to provide detailed financial evidence to support their claim. This includes submitting the most recent full month's bank, building society, and savings account statements for all accounts held by the applicant and every other adult in the household. These statements must show all transactions in and out, not just the balances, to demonstrate that the household meets the scheme's aims of alleviating genuine financial hardship.
The message from Blackpool Council is clear: this fund is available for those in need, regardless of their benefits status, providing a critical safety net for residents navigating the ongoing cost of living challenges.
