The cost of living payments are worth £200 and they’re designed to help households pay for basic necessities such as food and water
The cost of living payments are worth £200
Households struggling with basic bills can come forward to claim cost of living payments – and you don’t even need to be on benefits.
Funding for the payments known as hardship grants comes from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) but they’re delivered via Birmingham council.
Payments are worth £200 per household and applicants can apply for the money online by visiting the Birmingham Voluntary Service Council website.
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Applications for the latest round of hardship grants opened on June 23 following new round of funding from the DWP.
The DWP has allocated funding to local authorities across the country from its Household Support Fund (HSF) for councils to support residents with basic living costs.
Birmingham’s grant scheme will run right through 2025 until March 2026, in line with the end of the latest round of HSF funding from the DWP.
Applicants must meet three sets of criteria to apply for the funding in Birmingham.
These are that applicants are a Birmingham resident, have not received a previous hardship grant in the past 12 months and can demonstrate they’re experiencing financial hardship, particularly with costs linked to food and energy.
The council said: “The Household Support Fund (HSF), provided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), is a fixed amount of money available to the local authority to support households in most need with essentials such as: food, energy, essential goods and supplies, including water.
“Various forms of assistance are being offered to address a wide range of household circumstances.”
The council does not stipulate that you need to be on benefits to apply, so long as you can demonstrate financial hardship – click here to apply.
A spokesperson added: “Please be aware that you may be asked to provide proof of address and proof of means-tested benefits (if you are in receipt of them) as part of your grant application.”
They added: “Receiving a grant from this fund will not impact on any other benefits you may be receiving or may be entitled to.”