Household Support Fund Manchester: what is the government support, how do I apply online, who is eligible?

One of the main announcements contained with Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak’s, spring statement was the decision to double the money of the Household Support Fund to £1 billion.

The news of the extension to the fund comes amid skyrocketing costs and the widely publicised cost of living crisis, which has financially strained many households in the UK.

The cost of living has risen to unprecedented levels over the past few months, and has financially crippled many families up and down the country.

The issue has been so great that in order to help families, the government has introduced some measures that it says will help England’s poorest families.

What is the HSF?

The Household Support fund was announced in September 2021, and was initially designedas a way to help families survive financially through the winter months, with £500 million given to local authorities to then distribute to those who need it most.

After weeks of people worrying about the cost of living crisis, the scheme is now to be extended, with The Chancellor doubling the amount available, to £1 billion.

On the scheme, Mr Sunak said: “I want to do more to help our most vulnerable households with rising costs.

“They need targeted support. So I am also doubling the Household Support Fund to £1billion.”

How do I apply online?

In Manchester, to apply online you must visit the Manchester City Council website.

Once you’ve done that, scroll to the bottom and click the “apply for a household support payment”.

In order to successfully complete the form, you must have a copy of your bank statements nearby, and if you have a support worker, you will need to have their details.

When going through the form, you have 20 minutes to complete each page and if you have to return to a previous question, click previous instead of the back arrow.

Some questions are marked with something that resembles an asterisk, meaning those questions have to be filled out in order to successfully complete the application.

Who is eligible?

To be eligible in Manchester, you must be a Manchester resident. However, if you’re unsure of which authority you live in, you can check on the government website, using your current postcode.

Manchester City Council state on their website that “This is a universal offer that includes a payment to all households in Manchester City Council boundaries in receipt of Council Tax Support.

“We have used Council Tax Support to assess who is in need and has a responsibility for housing costs to determine eligibility and to avoid residents having to make a new claim or apply online”

If you, or your household do not claim Council Tax Support but you are in receipt of one of the following benefits, you may still be eligible for a grant

These include:

Income support, employment and support allowance (income related), jobseekers allowance (income based), working tax credit, child tax credit, pension credit (guaranteed or savings), housing benefit and universal credit.

What has the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said?

Despite the announcement made by Mr Sunak, the OBR has said that the drop of living standards in the UK for 2022 will be the worst ever since records began in 1956.

They stated that “the public finances have emerged from the pandemic in better shape than expected”

“But Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will push inflation to a 40-year high of almost 9%, and living standards are set for a historic fall over the next 12 months”.