Thousands of households can receive a £290 cost of living payment to help pay their bills. This financial support is provided by the government's House Support Fund.
The scheme works by giving councils all over the country a portion of funding available to hand out to the most financially deprived households in Britain.
Many Households Eligible for a £290 Cost of Living Payment
Under the government's Household Support Fund scheme, each local authority is given a different slice of funding depending on the size of the area, population, and number of poverty-stricken households.
The voucher or grant amounts varies according to your location, so it is advisable to check to see what you can receive and how your council will hand you the money.
For instance, thousands of Doncaster residents could qualify for a £290 cost of living payment.
The City of Doncaster Council has opted for using the funds to help working-age and pensioner households in Doncaster who get any of the benefits below:
- Universal Credit, which includes the housing element.
- Housing benefit.
- Local council tax reduction.
- Means-tested free school meals.
Payment will be provided to qualifying families as follows:
- Single individuals with no dependent children will get a single payment of £50
- Couples with no dependent children will get a single payment of £70
- Families with one dependent child will receive a total of £110 from the scheme, this will be divided into two payments of £55 each.
- Families with two dependent children will get a total of £170 from the scheme, this will be divided into two payments of £85 each.
- Households with three dependent children will receive a total of £230 from the scheme, this will be divided into two payments of £115 each.
- Families with four or more dependent children will get the total sum of £290 from the scheme, this will be split into two payments of £145 each.
It is worth reminding that a dependent child is a child who receives child benefit.
How to Receive the Payment
People who have previously received a payment under the council's scheme will be paid automatically.
If you happen to be a pensioner or a working-age person who did not get a payment under the previous Household Support Fund scheme and meet all the criteria cited above, you will have to apply online.
In order to claim Household Support Fund payment, check the following website: www.doncaster.gov.uk/services/council-tax-benefits/household-support-fund
The closing date for application is set for Friday, August 30, at 5pm.
Payment will be sent directly into your bank account, relying on the information you previously provided.
You are only required to contact the council if your bank account information has changed since your last award.
To do so, send an e-mail to householdsupportfund@doncaster.gov.uk and provide your personal information including your name, your National Insurance number, your address, your new bank sort code, your account number, and the name of the account holder.
Payment to families that include dependent children will be provided in two split instalments.
The first payment is scheduled for after June 7, 2024 and the second payment will be issued by August 9, 2024.
Payment to families with no dependant children will be issued by a single payment into your account from the end of June onwards.
What If I Don't Live in Doncaster?
To get the financial assistance, you are required to check with your council — as local authorities are responsible for distributing the funding.
To locate your local council, use the gov.uk council finder tool.
Once you've located your council, there should be information on how to submit an application on its website.
Each council has a different application process — so exact information on how to apply varies according to where you live.
That means that the eligibility criteria to access the fund can also vary.
Some councils won't need you to apply for the assistance, and they'll contact you about it instead if you are eligible.
In case no information is provided by your council's website, then it's better to call them and ask for more details.