As the cold, dark nights of winter set in, many people in our constituency find themselves in need of money for food, bills, maintenance, transport or clothing.
A grant for individuals and families in need, known as the Household Support Fund, from the Department for Work and Pensions will help families or individuals who need funds for the aforementioned essential costs with a one-off payment.
A grant of up to £150 may be approved for Sutton Coldfield citizens by local agencies such as Age Concern Birmingham and Spurgeons.
Anyone that we help at Age Concern Birmingham (ACB) must live in Sutton Coldfield, but the fund is available in other constituencies. Families/carers of children under 16 please refer to Spurgeons.
Establishing eligibility
1. Authorities have the flexibility within the scheme to identify which vulnerable households are in most need of support and apply their own discretion when identifying eligibility. There is no requirement for Authorities to undertake a means test or conduct a benefit check unless this specifically forms part of the Authority’s local eligibility criteria.
2. Awards must be based on the following framework:
- at least 50% of the total funding will be ring-fenced to support households with children, with up to 50% of the total funding to other households genuinely in need of support this winter. This may include households not currently in receipt of DWP welfare benefits;
- Eligible spend includes:
- Food. The Fund should primarily be used to provide support with food whether in kind or through vouchers or cash.
- Energy and water. The Fund should also primarily be used to support with energy bills for any form of fuel that is used for the purpose of domestic heating, cooking or lighting, including oil or portable gas cylinders. It can also be used to support with water bills including for drinking, washing, cooking, and sanitary purposes and sewerage.
- Essentials linked to energy and water. The Fund can be used to provide support with essentials linked to energy and water (including sanitary products, warm clothing, soap, blankets, boiler service/repair, purchase of equipment including fridges, freezers, ovens, etc.), in recognition that a range of costs may arise which directly affect a household’s ability to afford or access food, energy and water.
- Wider essentials. The Fund can be used to support with wider essential needs not linked to energy and water should Authorities consider this appropriate in their area. These may include, but are not limited to, support with other bills including broadband or phone bills, clothing, and essential transport-related costs such as repairing a car, buying a bicycle or paying for fuel. This list is not exhaustive.
- Eligible spend does not include:
- Advice services such as debt advice;
- Mortgage costs.
- It is expected that the focus of support should be on food and bills and that support for housing costs should only be given in exceptional cases of genuine emergency.
- Awards to any given household can cover only one of the spend eligibility categories listed above, or can cover several.
The application process will be available until 31st March 2022.
As the scheme is primarily aimed at those most in need, food and bills will be the main focus of the funding allocation, although as was previously mentioned other essential costs will be considered.
At least half of the £500 million funding nationally will go to families with children, the remaining pot will be allocated to other households in need of support this winter.
If you or someone you know living in Sutton Coldfield may benefit from this then please get in contact with Age Concern Birmingham on 0121 362 3650. For localaties in the rest of Birmingham, please see the list at Birmingham City Council's website: