Funded by the Department for Work and Pensions on behalf of the UK government, the Household Support Fund scheme supports vulnerable Woking borough households in need of help with rising living costs.
Four rounds of funding have been distributed by councils in England to support vulnerable households which are struggling to meet daily needs, such as food, utilities and wider essentials.
Household Support Fund extension (1 April 2024 until 30 September 2024)
In the spring budget on 6 March 2024, the chancellor announced that the Household Support Fund (HSF) would be extended for another six months, from 1 April 2024 to 30 September 2024, with a further £421m of funding. As has been done for previous schemes, the fund has been made available to county councils and unitary authorities in England to support those most in need.
We have chosen to support residents in the form of supermarket vouchers. If you are engaged with any of our services, including (but not limited to): housing, independent support, floating support, Careline or community meals, you may be able to receive HSF assistance via another method.
Who can apply
We are accepting applications from, or on behalf of, people who are in financial difficulties. The person receiving the funds must:
- be over the age of 16
- be a resident of Woking borough
- be in financial difficulty and struggling to meet the cost of essential items like food, fuel or energy bills for themselves or their dependants - you may be required to provide evidence such as bank statements and arrears letters
- have not received funds from any previous Household Support Funds
- receive one or more of the qualifying benefits
Qualifying benefits
To be eligible, you or someone in your household must be receiving at least one of the following qualifying benefits:
- Disability Living Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Universal Credit
- Working Tax Credit (with annual income under £16,000)
- Employment and Support Allowance (income-based)
- Guaranteed Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Support
Priority residents
We will try to support as many residents as we can with the limited funds available. We aim to provide support to those who need our help the most. This includes:
- residents with dependent children
- residents with disability or health problems
- households with at least one person who is receiving their state pension
- lone parents
- those who are, or are at risk of becoming, homeless including those living in temporary accommodation
- survivors of domestic abuse
- those leaving hospital
- those facing an emergency crisis such as, recent fire or flood
How to apply
The government funding is limited, so please make sure you apply quickly and before we close the fund.
Please be aware that we may pause or close applications early depending on the number of applications.
To assess applications, we require details about you, members of your household and the reasons why you are submitting an application.
You will need to provide your:
- contact details
- date of birth
Once we receive your application it will be assessed based on the information provided and a decision made.
Update (Wednesday 26 June): We have re-opened the application process for the Household Support Fund. Thank you for your patience.
How much you will receive
If your application is successful, you will receive a supermarket voucher.
- single households will receive £100 food voucher
- households with children will receive £150
How you will receive your voucher
Vouchers will be sent out in the post via Royal Mail tracked or recorded delivery.
You should expect to receive your voucher within 5 to 10 days of being informed that your application has been successful.
Application closing date
The fund will close as soon as our allocated amount of funding has been reached.
Reviewing our decision
You are unable to challenge (appeal) our final decision.
More information
Read the latest information about the Household Support Fund allocated within Surrey