Support for Shropshire households during winter continues, thanks to Household Support Funding

Shropshire residents struggling with cost of living and affording to buy household essentials could receive support from the Government’s Household Support Fund to help with energy and water bills, food, and wider essentials.

Shropshire Council has been given a further grant of £2.1 million from the scheme and are continuing to work with partners in the voluntary and community sector to ensure that people most in need are supported.

Support available thanks to HSF funding includes:

Free school meals (FSM)

The fund will continue to provide free school meals holiday vouchers during the remaining 2024/25 academic year. For children in receipt of eligible benefits-related FSM on roll in Shropshire schools and children in receipt of 24U funding and Early Years Pupil Premium in early years settings.

If you’re on a low income and you think you could be eligible for free school meals, please visit our free school meals pages.

Application-based support

Tenbury NILS Scheme provide residents in financial need with a grant to help with essential household items.

Community Resource provide residents in financial need with a one-off hardship grant payment.

Marches Energy Agency (MEA) – will be providing winter warmth grant for vulnerable individuals living in a cold house.

Welfare support team – Shropshire Council’s welfare support team offers support to low income and vulnerable households in need with food, energy, and water bills, and with other essential living costs.

Affordable warmth and energy efficiency team – offers support to residents through Keep Shropshire Warm energy advice and support service, Help-to-Heat vouchers to qualifying households and those in sustained energy arrears, and discretionary grants (criteria applies).

One-off payments

• A £300 targeted payment to pensioner households on low incomes who are in receipt of council tax support and/or housing benefit but not pension credit. (criteria applies).
• A £100 payment to care leavers.

Preventative Support

• Grant funding opportunities will be made available to community-run Warm Hubs, administered by the Marches Energy Agency. Community Organisations can find out more about the funding opportunities and submit an expression of interest to warmhubs@mea.org.uk.
• Shropshire Council Community and Family Hubs providing support, advice, and a safe and warm space.

Household Support Fund (HSF) 5 2024

The following graph illustrates how many households were supported from the last round of HSF (5)

Household support 5 fund graphic

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

“The Household Support Fund has been a vital lifeline for many people in Shropshire. I’m impressed by how we have supported so many families and I’m grateful to our teams and partners who have delivered the grants and support to our local communities.

“Like many other councils we face huge financial challenges, but we still want to help those who need it most. It is essential that we continue to support our residents through these difficult times. The additional funding will go some way in ensuring no one is left behind.”

“For anyone who is struggling with their day to day finances, please visit our cost of living help webpages for advice and support.”

You can find out more about the Household Support Fund at Household Support Fund | Shropshire Council.

For cost of living help visit Cost of living help | Shropshire Council