Household Support Fund

Thank you for visiting our Household Support Fund (HSF) page. Please be aware that the HSF is currently closed, and to be reopened Monday, 22nd July 2024, at 9.00am. 

The Household Support Fund (HSF) is provided by the Government. The Department for Work and Pensions has extended the Household Support Fund, which will be administered by BCP Council through Citizens Advice BCP. The fund is designed to provide short-term financial support to vulnerable households struggling to afford household essentials. Citizens Advice BCP manages and allocates this fund on behalf of BCP Council.

BCP Council also offers other options of support that can be found on their website:
https://www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/Communities/Cost-of-living-help/Cost-of-living-help.aspx

Grant vouchers are only issued to the named applicant, or the person nominated by them to receive vouchers on their behalf.

Criteria is based on need of support and eligibility. You will need to provide evidence of residency in the BCP Council area and a form of ID such as a Drivers Licence or passport. Those deemed as having sufficient savings or income may not meet the criteria of ‘struggling to afford household essentials’.

To be eligible:

• You must live in the BCP Council area
• You will be over the age of 16 and living independently of parents or carers
• You are struggling to pay for essentials because you don’t have enough money to pay for them
• You can provide the required proof of your identity, BCP Council residency and household financial information, including a summary for every person in your household not in full-time education. You may also be required to provide proof of income, such as a recent bank statement

Please note that eligibility criteria is subject to change for the upcoming 2024 Household Support Fund allocation. Further information about the 2024 allocation will be available when final criteria has been agreed by the funder.

Please be aware that demand for the HSF grant is high and it may take 8 weeks for your application to be processed. Please keep in mind that we cannot guarantee that you will receive the grant and your application may be rejected due to lack of funds. While we try to support as many applicants as possible, the funds are limited compared to number of applications we receive.

Please check your junk mail if you cannot find email confirmation of your application being submitted.