Just days left to apply for £370 income boost direct to bank account – can you get a payment?
HOUSEHOLDS have just days left to apply for an extra £370 on top of their income.
The boost is part of the Household Support Fund (HSF) and you have until Sunday, June 11 to claim it.
The HSF is worth £842million altogether and is provided by the Department for Work and Pensions.
It's a pot of cash dished out to councils across England to help vulnerable households.
But it's up to each council to decide how much money is distributed to whom.
Usually those on benefits or low income are eligible, but there is different criteria to match depending on where you live.
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The last scheme ended in March, but the government has extended it.
Now, the City of York Council has announced its new round of funding will take place up until March 31, 2024.
It is supplying successful applicants with two rounds of payments worth £185 each - one at the end of June, and one in November.
This will take their total up to £370 over the year.
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Here we explain how you can get the cash if you're in York - and if you live elsewhere.
Who's eligible?
You'll need to be a resident of the City of York Council to get this payment.
Applicants should also be aged 16 or over.
Some people will receive an invitation through the post to apply if they're on low income - so double check whether you've had one.
Those who receive a letter should be in receipt of Council Tax Support.
If you haven't received a letter, you must require urgent financial support and have inadequate savings in order to apply.
The council also considers the following groups as priority for the scheme:
- people with disabilities, including children
- carers
- people with health conditions that are affected by the cold, such as COPD, severe asthma, cardiovascular disease, sickle cell anaemia
- pensioners
- single adult households with high energy, rent or mortgage costs
How do I apply?
There are two types of applications, depending on if you received an invitation or not.
However, both are forms to fill in, and both are available on the council website.
There is also information there on how to fill out a paper application.
Successful applicants will receive the cash directly to their bank accounts thereafter, and you'll be told when a payment is on the way.
Make sure to have your National Insurance number, a recent bank statement and any other supporting documents to hand when you apply.
Can I get help if I don't live in York?
Yes you can. But what you can get depends on where you live as each council has been given a unique share of the £842million pot.
For example, households in Torridge are in line for payments worth up to £1,000.
The application process varies from area to area too.
The best thing to do is contact your local council to see what help is on offer and if you have to take any action.
You can do this by using the Government's locator tool found on its website.
But you might want to be quick as competition for the fund is fierce and once a council has depleted its share, there's no more left.
What other help is on offer?
Beyond the Household Support Fund there are three cost of living payments being issued by the Government between now and spring 2024.
They are worth £900, £150-£300 and £150 and eligibility for each is different.
The £900 payment has been split into three instalments of £301, £300 and £299 and is being made to those who receive the following benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Pension credit
The first instalment should've been paid to over eight million eligible people last month.
The second and third are being paid this autumn and in Spring 2024, repsectively.
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Meanwhile, the £150-£300 payment is being made to millions of pensioners who qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment. It will be paid this winter.
Plus, millions of people with disabilities will receive a £150 payment into their bank accounts this summer.