HELPING HAND
Thousands of households can apply for cost of living payments worth £100 – they’ll be paid direct into bank accounts
Watch our video to find out how you could get extra support and freebies
THOUSANDS of households are eligible to receive a £100 cost of living payment to help with key household bills.
Calderdale Council has received funds from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to support households in hardship.
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The cash support is available through the government's Household Support Fund.
The scheme works by handing councils up and down the country a slice of funding available to dish out to Brits in need.
Each local authority gets a different portion of funding depending on the size of the catchment area, population, and number of vulnerable households.
The voucher or grant amounts vary by location, so you must check to see what you can get and how your council will pay you.
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Now, residents in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, could be eligible for a £100 grant.
If you receive Council Tax Reduction, and are a household with children or you have a known disability, you can get a one-off payment of £100.
If you are a single, or in a couple, with no children or disability, you can get £50.
Payments will be made directly into your bank account, but before you apply, you will need to double check the sort code and account number that you enter is correct.
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If it is wrong, payment could be delayed.
You can apply on the council's website, and the last date for applications is 30 September.
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After you register, you should get a payment within 7 working days.
If you get an automatic payment, it does not affect your benefits, and you do not have to pay it back.
You can spend the money on whatever you like, including food, energy or anything else you need support with.
What if I don't live in Calderdale?
To get the help, you'll need to check with your council - as local authorities are in charge of distributing the funding.
How has the Household Support Fund evolved?
THE Household Support Fund was first launched in October 2021 to help Brits pay their way through winter amid the cost of living crisis.
Councils up and down the country got a slice of the £500million funding available to dish out to Brits in need.
It was then extended for a second time in the 2022 Spring Budget and for a third time in October 2022 to help those on the lowest incomes with the rising cost of living.
The DWP then confirmed a fourth extension of the scheme through to March 31, 2024.
Chancellor Jeremey Hunt extended the HSF for the fifth time while delivering his Spring Budget on March 6, 2024.
To find your local council, use the gov.uk council finder tool.
Once you've found your council, there should be information on how to apply on its website.
Each council will have a different application process - so exact details on how to apply will vary depending on where you live.
That means that the eligibility requirements to access the fund could also vary.
Some councils won't require you to apply for the help and they'll contact you about it instead if you qualify.
If there's no information on your council's website, then it's best to ring them up and ask for more information.
What are other councils offering?
Residents in Blackpool can receive up to £300 in support from the Household Support Fund.
Those living in Bracknell Forest could be eligible for a £315 cash grant.
Low-income households in Cambridgeshire can apply for a financial award of £110 per household.
Those living in Falkirk in receipt of a council tax reduction, housing benefit, Universal Credit, income support, jobseekers allowance or pension credit can apply for up to £470 in cash support.
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Middlesborough is awarding hard-up families up to £70.
Rutland County Council will provide one payment of £200 to care leavers this month.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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