Apply for Household Support Fund: £225 DWP cost of living payments for UK families, 2025 application deadlines

• Thousands of households are set to receive £225 payments through the Household Support Fund for the February half-term
• The fund helps with essential costs like food, clothing, and utility bills
• Local councils manage the scheme, with eligibility criteria and payment amounts varying by region
• We've rounded up the latest HSF schemes with deadlines approaching soon - check for details on how to apply

Thousands of households will soon receive £225 payments through the government’s Household Support Fund (HSF), just in time for the February half-term holidays.

The HSF helps with essential costs like food, clothing, and utility bills, offering support through vouchers and small grants to ease financial pressures during the cost-of-living crisis.

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It can be especially beneficial during the half-term holidays, when children are at home and parents may need to cover childcare and meals usually provided at school.

Managed by local councils, payment amounts and eligibility criteria vary by region. We've rounded up the latest HSF schemes with deadlines approaching in the coming weeks - check below for details on how to apply.

For information on similar programs in your area, please see the details at the end of this article.

Bedford

Bedford Council is offering £150 grants to support struggling pension-age residents and households with children.

Pension-age residents receiving Council Tax Support can apply for a £150 grant, paid directly into their bank account. Working-age households with dependent children and a Council Tax Support claim are also eligible for a £150 cash grant.

Applications close on February 28.

For more information, visit Bedford Borough Council’s website

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Citizens Advice Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole (BCP) administers the Household Support Fund on behalf of the council, providing grants to help struggling families with food and fuel costs.

To qualify for the HSF, you must:

• Live in the BCP Council area
• Be over 16 and living independently from parents or carers
• Be unable to afford essential expenses
• Provide proof of identity, BCP Council residency, and household financial details, including a financial summary for all household members not in full-time education
• You may also need to submit proof of income, such as a recent bank statement

Applications close permanently on February 21.

For more information, visit BCP Council’s website

Calderdale

Calderdale Council has announced that applications for its Household Support Fund (HSF) will close on February 28. If you receive Council Tax Reduction based on your income, you may qualify for:

• £100 – Households with children
• £100 – Households with a known disability
• £50 – Singles or couples with no children or disability

Households with both children and a disability will receive a single £100 payment.

For more information, visit Calderdale Council’s website

Canterbury

Canterbury Council is accepting applications for financial support from pension-age residents and other struggling households, with or without children. To qualify, you must:

• Live in the Canterbury district
• Be 16 or over (including university students)
• Have a total household income of £40,000 or less, including earnings and benefits
• Have £500 or less in savings and no access to other financial support

Payment amounts:

• £100 – Single parents or couples without children
• £150 – Households with children
• £200 – Pension-age residents

For more information, visit Canterbury Council’s website

Doncaster

City of Doncaster Council is providing one-off payments to eligible residents receiving Housing Benefit, local council tax reduction, Universal Credit (including the housing element), or means-tested free school meals.

Working-age households can receive:

• £75 if they have no children
• £150 if they have one or two dependent children
• £225 if they have three or more dependent children

Pensioner households may qualify for:

• £50 if they receive or are entitled to Pension Credit
• £150 if they are not receiving and not entitled to Pension Credit

Applications close on Friday, February 28 at 5pm.

For more information, visit the City of Doncaster Council’s website

Leicester

Leicester City Council's Household Support Fund (HSF) offers assistance to households struggling with food and energy bills. The council will review your application details to determine the support you need on a case-by-case basis.

If approved, you will receive a Post Office Payout voucher, redeemable for cash at your nearest Post Office. The funds can be used to help cover gas and electricity bills.

For more information, visit Leicester City Council’s website

North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire Council is distributing £150 e-vouchers to thousands of eligible households, redeemable at nine major retailers.

You qualify if, as of December 1, 2024, you were receiving the maximum discount on your council tax bill through the means-tested Council Tax Reduction Scheme. You are not eligible if you only receive the 25% single-person council tax discount.

Eligible residents should have received a letter by January 21 with instructions on how to claim and use the e-voucher. The one-time Household Support Fund e-voucher can be used to purchase food and other essentials.

Vouchers are valid at Aldi, ASDA, Farmfoods, Iceland, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose. ASDA, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, and Waitrose accept vouchers for both in-store and online shopping.

To redeem your voucher, visit northyorks.select-essentials.co.uk and enter the code from your letter before February 13.

For more information, visit North Yorkshire Council’s website

Portsmouth

Portsmouth Council's Family Voucher Scheme offers support to low-income households with children. You may be eligible if:

• You have children aged 0-19 who do not qualify for benefits-related free school meals.
• Someone in your household is over 20 weeks pregnant and you have a low income.

The Scheme Also Covers, children attending schools outside Portsmouth, home-educated children, children in early years settings, and children in full-time further education. Eligible families will get one £50 supermarket voucher per child.

For more information, visit Portsmouth City Council’s website

Stockton-on-Tees

Households eligible for Council Tax Reduction should have received an £80 voucher from Stockton-on-Tees Council.

The voucher can be exchanged for cash to help cover energy and food costs. To claim the cash, you must redeem the voucher at a PayPoint outlet by February 28.

For more information, head to Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s website

How to apply for the HSF in your area

The Government’s website says that those who are in need of help from the Household Support Fund should contact their local council, who will help them access the fund.

To find out if you are eligible to receive assistance from the Household Support Fund in your council area, follow these steps:

• Visit your local council's website: Most councils have information about the Household Support Fund on their official websites, including eligibility criteria, application processes and contact details for further assistance.
• Check eligibility criteria: Eligibility often depends on factors such as income level, receipt of certain benefits (like Council Tax Support or Universal Credit) and specific household circumstances (e.g., having children, being a pensioner or having disabilities).
• Look for application details: Some councils provide automatic payments to eligible residents, while others require an application. Information on how to apply, necessary documentation and deadlines will typically be available on the council's website.
• Contact your council directly: If you have difficulty finding the information online, you can contact your local council's customer service or welfare support team for assistance.

If you’re eligible for one of these schemes or know of other local support options, we’d love to hear from you! Share your experiences, tips, or any questions in the comments section.