Sefton Council is inviting residents in need of financial help to apply to the Household Support Fund.

Sefton Council is inviting residents in need of financial help to apply to the Household Support Fund.

Open to those who are struggling to afford energy, food and essential household bills, the Fund is now open for people to apply.

To qualify, households will need to show they are on a low-income and need immediate financial help towards energy, food, and essential household bills. Those who receive a grant from the Household Support Fund will not have to pay it back. Neither will it be treated as income for tax or benefit purposes.

Funding is not available to those who have received support from the Council’s Emergency Limited Assistance Scheme (ELAS) in the past six months.

Full details of the who qualifies and how to apply can found at www.sefton.gov.uk/household-support. 

Cllr Trish Hardy, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing said:
“We know there are households across the Borough who are being hard hit by the national cost of living crisis as well as in some cases still feeling the after-effects of COVID.

“We have already paid out targeted funding to groups across Sefton through the Household Support Fund, as well as using it to provide free meal vouchers during school holidays.

“Now we want people who are struggling to apply for funding, which can be as much as £300, to help them get through.”

This latest stage of the Household Support Fund will initially operate until 31 March 2023, although the Government has recently announced it will be extended until March 2024.

Cllr Hardy added:
“Grants are paid from a finite fund, which could run out so I would urge people to apply as soon as possible.

“And if you have friends or relatives or neighbours who you think might benefit from the Fund, please tell them about it.”

Applications will be cross-checked to other services including, where applicable, to data held by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Payments will be made through the Post Office Pay Out Service.

Details of the process can be found at www.sefton.gov.uk/household-support.