Hundreds of households have just days left to apply for up to £300 worth of help | The Sun
HUNDREDS of households have just days left to apply for £300 in free cash to help with the cost of living.
The support comes via the Household Support Fund (HSF) which is worth £421million.
The pot of money has come from central government and has been allocated to councils across England.
Local authorities then decide how to distribute their portion of the fund.
That means what you'll get depends on where you live. Eligibility criteria varies too.
Thousands of residents in Blackpool are being urged to apply for £300 in free energy bill cash.
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Meanwhile, residents in North Yorkshire have just weeks left to apply for help worth up to £325.
And residents in Harrow, London, have just days left to apply for free cash worth up to £300.
Harrow Council is offering 750 households one-off cash payments direct into their bank accounts.
But the scheme is only open for eligible residents until January 31 so you need to apply soon.
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Who is eligible?
To get the £300 payment, you have to meet certain eligibility criteria.
You must be responsible for paying for energy in the property you live in and no one else in your household can have received help via the Household Support Fund before.
Plus, if you've already received the £650 cost of living payment or £150 disability cost of living payment you won't be eligible.
You also have to be receiving certain benefits. For the full details, you should check out Harrow Council's website.
You can apply for the £300 payment on Harrow Council's website – but bear in mind you'll need to submit evidence proving your eligibility.
On top of the £300 payments, households on low incomes in Harrow are being sent vouchers worth £100.
This includes those on housing benefit and care leavers moving to permanent accommodation who haven't qualified for any government support.
The vouchers can be used to buy food and other essential items like winter clothes, blankets and energy-efficient appliances.
They can be redeemed at major high street supermarkets and retailers like Argos and Currys.
But the vouchers will expire after three months so households will need to redeem them quickly.
Can I get help if I don't live in Harrow?
Yes you can. The Household Support Fund is available to residents across the country.
However, because it is up to each local council to decide how they distribute their share of the fund, what you can get will depend on where you live.
Plus, who is eligible varies from area to area.
However, the help is usually offered out to households on a low income or benefits, such as Universal Credit.
The free cash is being distributed in different ways too, including as supermarket vouchers and bank transfers.
You might have a deadline to apply for any help in your area – you should check with your council if you're not sure.
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Households in Colchester, Essex, can get up to £500 in cash support to help with essentials such as food and energy bills.
In other news, we've revealed how to give your finances a makeover in January.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
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