What is the Household support fund?
The Household support fund was launched earlier this year by Department for Work and Pensions. It set aside £500m in support for vulnerable households over winter. This is part of the nationwide efforts to recover following the COVID-19 pandemic. This fund has been divided between each county using the Barnett formula, which is the usual way to apply for additional funding in England for each county. The Household support fund is designed to help ease financial pressure on residents with low incomes. It is short-term financial support to help with food, fuel bills, and other related essentials for this winter.
Guildford Borough Council said that: “All applicants will be treated fairly and consistently. We will monitor this scheme to ensure that we are making the best use of the money we have available“.
The scheme runs until 31 March 2022 or until all funds have been allocated.
How do I apply?
Eligible residents in Guildford Borough may apply by completing the Household support fund application form [50.15KB] and emailing it to community.wellbeing@guildford.gov.uk. This information is provided here: https://www.guildford.gov.uk/article/26087/How-do-I-apply
In order to apply applicants must
- be over the age of 16
- live in Guildford Borough
- be without sufficient resources to meet the immediate short-term needs of themselves or dependants
Application process
Guildford Borough Council will process your application and make a decision based on the information provided in the application form and any other information available to the council. Once a decision has been reached, the applicant will receive a written notice advising:
- whether an award has been made
- the reason for the decision
- the intended use of the award
- the amount of the award
If successful, they will make a payment directly to your bank account as quickly as possible to meet the agreed needs of the household. Guildford Borough Council has also advised that it may not always be possible to provide the full amount of funding required due to the limited funds they have available. This scheme is discretionary and there are no rights to appeal, however, the application may ask for the case to be looked at again if contacted within five days of the decision.
Further help
If you are If you’re struggling financially Surrey County Council has published the following advice page describing what help is available. There is also a fuel poverty awareness day held at the Victoria Hall in Ash on 3 December 2021.
Please visit: https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/people-and-community/emergency-planning-and-community-safety/coronavirus/need-help/finance