Under the Department for Work and Pensions, or DWP, Household Support Fund, households can cash in on a free £150 payment to help.
New Cost of Living payments ‘worth between £125 and £150’ announced for England
Free £150 Cost of Living payments are coming for hundreds of households in south east England. Under the Department for Work and Pensions, or DWP, Household Support Fund, households can cash in on a free £150 payment to help.
In Reading, many residents can get vouchers worth between £125 and £150. Families with children who are automatically eligible pupil premium / free school meal support will have automatically received a £125 voucher by post from the Post Office.
Most care leavers will have received a £125 voucher by post from the Post Office. Some may have received their vouchers directly from the Leaving Care Team. Vouchers will be sent in July and December 2025 and will need to be cashed by the end of September 2025, and January 2026.
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From 3 November 2025, Reading residents on low income who are struggling with the rising cost of living can apply to get a £150 Household Support Fund payment.
You are still eligible to apply even if you have previously successfully applied for HSF support, and if you have received any other form of HSF support such as a voucher.
Households that receive income-based benefits are automatically viewed as having a low income and are therefore eligible to apply.
If you do not receive income-based or state benefits but are facing challenges that affect your cost of living, we will do a basic assessment of your income, essential outgoings and savings as part of the application.
Completing an application does not offer immediate financial support to residents. Each application will need to be processed. The time to complete processing depends on the number of applications received.
If you have more than £2000 in savings, you are not eligible to apply.
Applicants needing help with housing costs may be referred to other support. Government rules state that rent support should come from Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, or Discretionary Housing Payments before using the Household Support Fund.
The decision to approve or reject will be made by council officers administering the scheme. Their decision will be final and there will be no right to appeal.