Vital fund extended for Lancashire people who need help with living costs

Lancashire residents who need help to cover vital living costs are being invited to apply to the Household Support Fund via their local council, following a £9.7m top-up from the Government.

The Household Support Fund, provided by the Department for Work and Pensions, has been extended from 1 April for a further 6 months. Lancashire County Council will receive £9,678,235 to support households with the cost of living until the end of September 2024.

It can be used to help households with children, households with pensioners and other households with the costs of food, energy/water needs and other essentials, such as housing costs and other essential bills, together with access to advice services.

In Lancashire, the money is distributed across a range of partners, including the 12 district councils by the county council. It is also being used to support families eligible for free school meals during the school holidays, working with nurseries, schools and colleges to raise awareness and increase uptake and access to household goods and support with energy bills.

On Thursday, LCC's cabinet approved the proposed approach to the allocation of the Household Support Fund. The fund is intended to support a wide range of low-income households and is not limited to those in receipt of benefits. Authorities have the flexibility to identify which vulnerable households are in most need of support and apply their own discretion when identifying eligibility.

Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, director of Public Health at Lancashire County Council, said: "We will continue to work together with district councils and partners to ensure the Household Support Fund reaches those who really need it.

"Your district council can use some discretion to assess what is reasonable to assist those in genuine need with regard to a wide range of essential costs.

"To enquire about applying to the Household Support Fund, please visit your district council website for more information or contact them directly."

You can find information about support available via your local district council. For more information visit Household Support Fund - Lancashire County Council which has links to local city/district council webpages.