Wealden District Council is issuing the help as part of the Household Support Fund, which is a pot of cash used by local councils to provide tailored support to residents
Thousands of struggling households who missed out on the Winter Fuel Payment are being urged to claim a one-off payment of £175 instead.
Wealden District Council is issuing the help as part of the Household Support Fund. This is a pot of cash that is used by local councils to provide tailored support to residents – for example, you could get a one-off payment or vouchers for energy and water.
In order to be eligible for help through Wealden Council, you must be a local resident and in receipt of either Universal Credit that also includes the Housing Costs element, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction. You will also be eligible if you get a SEMI exemption and would otherwise get Council Tax Reduction.
Successful applicants will get £175 if they are of pension age, but not eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment. All other successful claims will be awarded £125. Payments should be made 14 days from the date your application is approved by the council. You can apply online by visiting: wealden.grantapproval.co.uk.
You won’t be eligible if you’ve previously received a grant from Wealden Council, and only one application can be made per household. The council has warned that funding is limited, so it is best to apply sooner rather than later. A note on its website reads: “Please note that we have very limited funding left, and claims will be processed in date order of when they are received. We cannot guarantee that all claims submitted will be approved, as once the funding is gone, we will be unable to consider any further applications.”
The Household Support Fund was due to end on September 30, 2024 but it has been extended for an additional six months, until March 31, 2025, after another £421million was allocated to the scheme. If you’re not a Wealden resident, it is worth checking the website of your local council to see what help it could potentially offer you.
For example, Solihull residents can also get free help worth £500 to pay off water and energy debts. You must live in Solihull, have a combined annual household income of under £31,000, have no household savings, except for if you’re a pensioner, then you can have up to £5,000 in savings. You must have someone living in the household with a vulnerability and be in receipt of a qualifying benefit.
Blackpool Council is giving payments of up to £300 to households, paid directly to your energy or water supplier. This will appear as a credit on your bill or prepay meter. Households of one or two people can get a £200 payment, while households of three or more are able to claim £300.
