The Household Support Fund can help with essential bills such as food and energy (Image: Getty)
The (HSF) provides financial help to people who are struggling with the and it has been confirmed that the support will be extended to the 2025/26 financial year which starts next month. The Government has said it will put £742 million into the fund which will then be shared among councils in England. Cash will also be given to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to provide support through their own devolved schemes.
Households across the UK will get help with utility bills, and living costs which could incluce household appliances and in some cases cash payments worth up to £300.
Cash is still being distributed by some councils althought the deadline for applications is March 31, 2025.
has reported that some councils are offering appliances like air fryers and microwaves, while others are even ‘replacing’ the for pensioners who were ruled ineligible for it due to Labour changes last year.
Liz Kendall, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions said: “At the autumn Budget, we announced a one-year £742 million extension of the household support fund in England, from 1 April 2025 until 31 March 2026. The devolved Governments will receive consequential funding through the Barnett formula in the usual way, to be spent at their discretion.”
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Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Baroness Sherlock confirmed the initiative will be extended to run from April 2025. But she said there had not been any decision made yet on whether it would continue in the following financial year.
She added: “A couple of noble Lords mentioned the Household Support Fund in England, which is there to provide discretionary support to those most in need with the cost of essentials such as food, energy and water.
“It was pretty challenging. It was one of the very first things my department had to do: six weeks after the election, it had to find £0.5 billion to continue the Household Support Fund for the rest of the last financial year.
“The Government have now found the money to extend the fund by a further year from April 1, 2025, until March 31 next year (2026), with funding of £742 million plus Barnett consequentials for the devolved administrations.
“On the longer question, I regret to say to my noble friend that all I can say at the moment is that no decision has been made at this stage on the funding beyond the end of March 2026, and all the problems will be considered in the round.
But we hope at least that, by giving notice ahead, we have enabled local authorities to plan much further ahead than in the slightly hand-to-mouth situation of previous times. But we will keep this under review and, if there is any change, we will obviously share any news as soon as possible.”
Baroness Lister of Burtersett said: “The Work and Pensions Committee recommended that the local authority Household Support Fund should be made permanent, so that local authorities can better plan the support they provide.”
She added that the Trussell Trust had proposed that “a permanent and effective system of discretionary cash-first local crisis support” should be set up. It would incorporate the Household Support Fund and local welfare assistance schemes.
This would help Labour meet its manifesto pledge to try to end “mass dependence on emergency food parcels”. Lady Lister described this as “a moral scar on society.”