Households can apply for £200 cost of living payments in WEEKS as vital scheme reopens

THOUSANDS of households can apply for free £200 payments to cover the cost of living in weeks after a vital scheme was extended.

The cash help comes via , a giant £742million fund.

The scheme with the latest round running between April 2025 and March 2026.

Each council in has been allocated a share of the £742million fund and can distribute it to residents in need.

Eligibility criteria varies based on where you live but usually help is offered to those on or a low income.

Thousands of hard-up households in can get £200 payments through the latest round of the fund.

The payments are being issued by the Birmingham Voluntary Service Council.

The application window for the new round of funding opens in June. You can apply via www.bvsc.org/hsf.

You will be eligible for a £200 payment if you are a Birmingham resident struggling to cover the cost of food and .

You will not qualify if you have received a £200 payment from the Household Support Fund in the last 12 months.

What about if I don't live in Birmingham?

The £742million Household Support Fund has been shared between all in England.

So, if you don't live in Birmingham but are struggling financially or are on benefits you will likely be eligible for help.

This is because the fund was originally set up to help those on low incomes or classed as vulnerable.

What type of help you can get will vary but it could range from a free cash payment to vouchers.

It's worth bearing in mind, because the new round of the HSF has only just opened, you might not be able to apply for help yet.

However, it's worth keeping an eye on your local council's website or channels.

Most councils have pages on their websites dedicated to their HSF as well.

You might be able to find it by typing in the name of your council then “Household Support Fund” into search.

You may have to apply for help through the HSF or you may be contacted directly by your council.

Some local authorities send letters to your home to let you know about next steps you need to take.

Other help you can claim

If you don't qualify for the Household Support Fund you might be able to get help through other means.

In the first instance, it's worth checking if you qualify for benefits, with billions of pounds' worth going unclaimed every year.

There are three free calculators you can use to see what you might be entitled to:

• Policy in Practice better off calculator
• entitledto benefits calculator
• Turn2us benefits calculator

If you've fallen behind on your you might also be eligible for a grant to cover the cost of your arrears.

and both offer struggling customers grants.

You can get , depending on your circumstances.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].

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