Applications for Hardship
Grants from the Household Support Fund are now being accepted again from
trusted partner agencies in partnership with the 10 lead agencies across the
city.
We reserve the right to close the fund to new applicants at short notice should the profiling of the applicants in the system indicate the remaining funding will be distributed in full.
What support is available?
Grants may be applied for up to £150 per household. Each household is only eligible for one grant award payment. If you have previously received a hardship grant award from the Household Support Fund, please do not reapply as your application will be rejected.
As part of the application process, individuals will be signposted to other support available to them in the locality such as: money and welfare advice, utility support, food bank/pantry, and connect families with local community resources.
There are 5 categories of support that can be applied for:
1.
Food
2.
Gas, electricity, water
3.
Essentials linked to gas/electricity/water costs
4.
Wider essentials
5.
Housing costs
The focus of this fund is intended to support households experiencing hardship by supporting them to meet costs associated with food and/or gas electricity, and water usage.
Support from this fund does not cover recent Government announcements in February 2022 in relation to £150 Council Tax rebates or the £200 energy utility provider support announced by the HM Treasury.
Who is eligible?
Applicants will need to undergo an assessment process, with a trusted partner agency, to determine eligibility to access the fund.
In order to apply, households with children must be entitled to Free School Meals (or Healthy Start Vouchers for households with pre-school age children).
For households without children, we are accepting applications from households where at least one person is in receipt of one or more of the following means tested benefits:
• Council Tax Support
• Housing Benefit
• Income-based
Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
• Income-related
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Income Support
• Pension Credit
• Social Funds (Cold
Weather Payment, Funeral Payment, Sure Start Maternity Grant)
• Tax Credits (Child Tax
Credit, Working Tax Credit)
• Universal Credit
How to apply?
Once eligibility is confirmed, the trusted partner agency will complete your application to receive your hardship grant.
To identify your local trusted partner agency please see the list of lead organisations below.
If you are unable to identify your local lead partner organisation please contact hsf@bvsc.org for further support.
How are grants paid?
Hardship grants are paid directly into the applicant’s bank account. Alternative arrangements can be put in place if you do not have access to your own bank account.
This process can take up to a total of 7 working days in order to complete necessary financial checks, including fraud detection measures.
If you have a query regarding an existing application please contact the trusted partner organisation who submitted the application on your behalf in the first instance.
Please do not contact trusted partners until 7 working days after your application has been submitted as they may not be able to provide an update on the progress before this time.
Lead locality organisations:
Edgbaston
householdsupport@gatewayfs.org
0121 456 7821
Erdington
Support for Families
ErdingtonFamilies@compass-support.org.uk
0121 748 8199
Erdington Support for Adults
contactus@compass-support.org.uk
or
Chantelle.Holmes@wittonlodge.org.uk 0121 748
0891
or 0121 827 6295
Hall Green
Household.Support@GreenSquareAccord.co.uk
07855 409 582
Hodge Hill
EarlyHelp-Hodgehill@family-action.org.uk
07816 086 607
Ladywood
childrenandfamilies@bsettlement.org.uk
07764 977 636
Northfield
info@northfieldcommunity.org
0121 411 2157
Perry Bar
PerrybarrEHnetwork@spurgeons.org
0121 752 1900
Selly Oak
StaceySeaman@malachict.co.uk
07544 655537
Sutton Coldfield -
Support for Adults
info@ageconcernbirmingham.org.uk
0212 362 3650
Sutton Coldfield -
Support for Families
SuttonEHnetwork@spurgeons.org
0121 752 1860
Yardley
EarlyHelpYardley@barnardos.org.uk
0121 289 4875
Carers of adults in Birmingham
For carers of adults living anywhere in the city of Birmingham please contact Birmingham Carers Hub on 0333 006 9711. To apply for the HSF through the Carers Hub, the carer must live in the city and be registered with the Carers Hub.