Council continues to help thousands of households thanks to Household Support Fund money

Residents struggling to cope with the cost of living and energy costs will continue to be supported thanks to the Government’s announcement to extend the Household Support Fund.

Household Support Fund is a scheme funded by the Government to support people impacted by the cost of living crisis.

During the last round of funding, the council has helped to deliver £3.1 million of additional support from the Household Support Fund to more than 12,000 households to support residents with the rising cost of living.

In April 2023, the council was allocated £4.1 million by the Department for Work and Pensions under the Household Support Fund (HSF). In the first 9 months of the fund more than 12,000 households have received support.

The council has worked with their partners in the voluntary and community sector to decide how best to share the funding, to make sure that it had the most benefit for local residents in need. The money has supported a wide range of people with cost-of-living support, including 6,524 households with children, 3,522 households with pensioners, and 449 households with a person with a disability.

Household support fund 4 graphic

This has enabled Shropshire Council to support households with the cost of living:

• The Revenues and Benefits team have made targeted payments of £270 to 6,105 eligible households to support them with the cost of living.
• The Learning and Skills team have ensured that 7,931 children entitled to Free School meals have received meal vouchers in the school holidays.
• The Welfare Support team have issued grants to households who applied for support with food, energy, and wider essential costs.
• The Affordable Warm and Energy Efficiency team have supported 398 households with advice, energy debt fund relief and winter enabling grants.
• Our community partners have also supported a further 250 households with hardship grants to support the cost of essentials.

Gwilym Butler, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for finance, corporate resources and communities said:

“I am delighted that following yesterday’s government announcement to extend the Household Support Fund, we can continue to support those greatly affected by the cost of living increases.

“Whilst we are experiencing unprecedented financial challenges like many other councils across the country, we remain committed to support those who are in the greatest of need.

“We have already seen how the Household Support Fund has provided a much-needed lifeline to people across Shropshire. I’m absolutely amazed to see how we have helped so many families and I want to thank our teams and partners who have worked tirelessly to deliver the grants and support to our local communities.

“I would encourage anyone who is struggling with day-to-day costs to seek advice and support by visiting our cost-of-living help webpages.”

Free school meal vouchers

Children in receipt of benefits related free school meals, are able to benefit from free school meal vouchers over the two week Easter school holidays, thanks to HSF funding.  Parents and carers can find out more by contacting their local school.

For advice and support with the cost of living, click here.

See our Household Support Fund webpages for more information about the latest round of support, and how this will be shared to benefit those most in need. Further details following the latest announcement will be added shortly.