Vulnerable households will receive support for the cost of
essentials this winter, as the Work and Pensions Secretary announces an extension to the Household Support Fund
for the next six months.
The £421m extension gives certainty to Local Authorities across
England over the winter months – up until April 2025 – as
they work to help those struggling with the cost of energy, food,
and water.
Pensioners and others struggling to heat their homes or
afford other essential items over the colder months should
contact their local council to see what support may be available
to them. Details on the latest scheme for local authorities
and councils will be communicated in the coming weeks.
Many councils also use the Fund beyond emergency support,
including working with local charities and community groups to
provide residents with key appliances, school uniforms, cookery
classes, and items to improve energy efficiency in the home.
An estimated £79 million will also be given to Devolved
Administrations via the Barnett formula as the government leaves
no stone unturned in ensuring every person – in every part of the
country – has the foundations they need to be financially secure.
Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can
choose how to allocate this additional funding, as the UK
government continues to work closely with them to help support
vulnerable people.
Given the dire economic inheritance, we had to take difficult
decisions to put our public finances on a sustainable footing as
we tackle the £22 billion black hole.
1.3 million more people have fallen into poverty since 2010/11,
with living standards falling by the largest year-on-year drop
since records began in 2022/23. For over a decade people have
also been denied the security and dignity that good work affords
with more than a near record 2.8 million people out of work due
to sickness.
As we continue our work to deliver growth, make work pay and
develop our child poverty strategy in the long term, the
extension of the Fund prevents councils and vulnerable households
experiencing an immediate cliff edge of support with a tough
winter ahead.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, MP, said:
The £22 billion blackhole inherited from the previous governments
means we have to take tough decisions to fix the foundations of
our economy.
But extending the Household Support Fund is the right thing
to do - provide targeted support for those who need it most as we
head into the winter months.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, MP, said:
We are extending the Household Support Fund for the next six
months because it is a lifeline for people who are struggling
with the cost of living.
The dire inheritance we face means more people are living in
poverty now than 14 years ago – and this Government is taking
immediate action to prevent a cliff edge of support for the most
vulnerable in our society.
At the same time, we are taking action to fix the foundations of
our country through our plans to grow the economy, make work pay,
and Get Britain Working again.
The government is exploring options around how best to provide
sustainable support to vulnerable households in the longer term
while the ministerial Child Poverty Taskforce develops an
ambitious strategy to tackle the root causes of poverty, and the
Get Britain Working White Paper, to be set out in the Autumn,
will develop measures to reduce inactivity and help people to
find better paid and more secure jobs.
By growing the economy and unlocking investment through the
National Wealth Fund; launching Great British Energy to drive
home-grown clean energy and lower bills; making work pay and
developing a new Child Poverty Strategy to give children the best
start in life – the Government is looking at all levers available
to unlock the potential of millions across the country and give
them the platform they need to thrive.
Additional Information
- The Household Support Fund is administered by the Department
for Work and Pensions and delivered by Local Authorities in
England. It can be used to help vulnerable residents with energy
and water bills, food and other essential items.
- People can find their council here.
- Barnett consequentials for Devolved Governments will be
finalised in due course.
- In 2022/23, there were 1.3 million more people in relative
poverty after housing costs than in 2010/11.
- In 2022/23, living standards, as measured by RHDI per capita, fell
by 2.1 per cent, the largest year-on-year drop since records
began in the 1950s.
