The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has released fresh updates concerning £200 payments aimed at easing the cost-of-living pressures, with funds being distributed among local councils. Across the UK, local authorities are utilising their share of a colossal £421 million from the Household Support Fund to disperse either one-off cash payments or provide other help to cover energy, water, and food expenses.
birmingham-city-council>Birmingham City Council is putting its fund segment to good use by providing £200 hardship grants for households in dire need of support for basic necessities.
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Neighbouring Dudley Council is also jumping on board, planning to offer similar aid amounts when it flings open its application doors again come 22 January. In Birmingham, the prerogative to determine the eligibility criteria for recipient families has been entrusted to the Birmingham Voluntary Service Council (BVSC), which has just disclosed an important update.
The BVSC has revealed that it’s temporarily suspending new enquiries into the grant programme until March, to manage the current backlog. The service announced: “Please be advised that the Hardship Grant Community Fund scheme is currently paused for new enquiries whilst the team work through the waiting list. If you have submitted a successful enquiry since the current scheme opened on November 25th, 2024, you are on the waiting list and will be contacted within the next six weeks to complete your full application.”
The announcement also included a plea for patience as the team slogs through the pending applications, and a reminder for applicants to enable their voicemail and accept calls from private numbers: “Please be patient whilst the team work through the waiting list. Additionally, please ensure that you have your voicemail turned on so the team can leave you a message if you miss our call and that your phone accepts calls from withheld/private numbers.”
“Note that enquiries will reopen in March 2025. If you are not currently on the waiting list, or it has now been 12 months since your household last received a grant payment, you will be able to submit a new enquiry once enquiries resume in March 2025.”
“Please note that BVSC or Birmingham City Council does NOT send text messages to applicants or those on the waiting list asking you to click on a link and provide your bank details. This is a scam and is not associated with the Hardship Grant Community Fund or any other Household Support Fund activity.”
“You do not need to pay any fee to apply for a Hardship Grant. Should any organisation request a fee from you to apply, please do not give them any personal details and contact BVSC immediately to report them.”
Other local authorities have different approaches to dispensing Household Support Fund cash. For example, in Doncaster, a singular payment is going to homes getting Housing Benefit, Universal Credit including a housing element, local Council Tax Reduction or means-tested free school meals.
Depending on the household composition, working-age homes can gain £75 without dependant children, up it to £150 with one or two, and nab £225 if they’ve got three or more kids in tow. Pensioner households are entitled to a handy £50 if on Pension Credit, whereas those not on and not eligible for Pension Credit can pocket £150.