Household Support Fund (HSF 5)
Last updated: 25 June 2024
What is the Household Support Fund?
The Government has made an extra £421 million available to help the most vulnerable across England. The funding is an extension of the Household Support Fund (HSF) and has been allocated by the Department for Work and Pensions.
Southampton City Council has been allocated £2.2 million. This funding covers the period 1 April 2024 to 30 September 2024.
The HSF is there to help low income households, including families, pensioners, unpaid carers, care leavers and disabled people. It provides help for those who are struggling with the cost of living.
How the Household Support Fund is being spent locally
The scheme in Southampton will provide the following support to residents:
School holiday funding
To support families and children, funding has been allocated to provide Free School Meals during school holidays:
- A £15 payment for each eligible child for May half-term
- A £60 payment for each eligible child for the Summer holiday
Support with food
Residents on low income and struggling with the cost of living, will be able to apply for a supermarket voucher for £50 for the main applicant and then £10 for each additional household member.
We will be open for self-referrals on the following dates and remain open subject to available funding:
- Tuesday 25 June
- Thursday 29 August
Due to high demand, applications for support from Southampton Household Support Fund for June 2024 has now closed.
If you have submitted an application for June 2024:
- It is currently taking up to one month to process applications.
- Please do not contact us regarding the progress of your application within this timescale. We will contact you if we need further information.
- If your application is successful, Southampton City Council will pass your contact details to Blackhawk Network, who will email the Select voucher code directly to you. The email will be from selectcode@select-your-reward.co.uk.
The HSF will reopen for self-referrals on Thursday 29 August 2024. Further details will be published here in due course.
Please remember, you will only be able to receive support once. So, if you receive support in June 2024, please do not apply again in August 2024.
Agency referral
We are working with a range of trusted partner organisations who can also make referrals for very vulnerable households.
Support to the local charity and voluntary sector
Over £100,000 will be provided to local agencies to provide practical support and advice to residents in the city.
Housing costs
Additional funding of £50,000 has been set aside to help residents with housing costs.
