Household Support Fund Awareness week – helping our most vulnerable

The City of Wolverhampton Council is marking how the Household Support Fund can help vulnerable residents through the cost of living crisis this week and encouraging those in need to come forward.

The council announced back in the summer its plan to invest £5 million of government money over the coming year to continue helping households in the city with soaring food, energy, housing and household essential costs.

Finding ways to help people improve their financial resilience now and for the future is also a key factor to ensure people are more financially independent and able to cope no matter what life throws at them.

The £5.2 million is the fourth round of funding from the Household Support Fund, which central government has allocated to local authorities to help with the cost of living crisis until March 2024. And this week the government and local authorities across the country are highlighting just how the fund can help and what residents need to do to access support.

The council has allocated more than £1 million on top of the government’s investment to help its citizens through these challenging times and is working with partners in the voluntary sector to ensure the needs of all communities are considered and supported.

The fund gives priority to supporting households with food, gas and electricity, but can also give assistance with other household essentials like white goods and small appliances and warm clothing and bedding.

The only way to apply is to contact the council direct, check out the section on the Household Support Fund on our dedicated cost of living web pages www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/cost-of-living-support or contact Customer Services on 01902 290241 (option 2).

The Household Support Fund is not operated by any third parties on the council’s behalf, so please don’t fall prey to scams. If anyone contacts you direct offering money this is not legitimate, the only way to apply for the fund is to contact the council direct as outlined above.

The council has supported all kinds of creative initiatives to ensure the fund reaches and helps as many city residents as possible with projects ranging from creating a network of community shops, which offer healthy food at great prices; funding a community chefs programme to help share skills with families to prepare and cook healthy meals on a budget; and continuing access to food for children during school holidays at Yo! Wolves activities.

But the council is also helping people in less obvious ways to deal with unforeseeable life events such as illness or bereavement, which can impact household finances. Working with a variety of organisations from community groups helping men’s mental health to GPs, Macmillan and Compton Care and the Royal Wolverhampton Hospital Trust, the council is helping during times of crisis, so it doesn’t affect financial futures forever.

Leader of the council, Councillor Stephen Simkins said:

‘Helping all of our citizens through the cost of living crisis is our priority and I’d encourage anyone struggling to contact us and have a chat. We have already invested more than a million pounds as a council ensuring those who need help to pay for food, energy and everyday essentials receive it.

‘We’re building on the many types of support we have already given over the last year and we’re also determined to help people access the tools they need to build financial resilience for years to come to give security and peace of mind.

‘Building stronger individuals, families and a stronger city, is our aim. So don’t suffer in silence, the Household Support Fund is there to help during these times, so please reach out and talk to us.’

Minister for Social Mobility, Youth and Progression, Mims Davies MP, said: ‘Our £842 million extension to the Household Support Fund this year is delivering vital support at a local level to some of the most vulnerable families in England.

‘Whether it be repurposing white goods for households who don’t have the means, providing free budget cooking classes or offering support for families struggling with their finances, this Household Support Fund Awareness Week and beyond, I encourage anyone who needs help to get in touch with their local council to find out what support is available in their local area.’

To find out more about how we can help and all of the support available for the cost of living crisis visit our dedicated web pages www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/cost-of-living-support