Households on benefits including Universal Credit urged to apply for free £200 cash NOW

The Sun

3 days ago

HOUSEHOLDS on benefits including Universal Credit are being urged to apply for £200 in free cash NOW.
The help comes via the Household Support Fund (HSF) which is worth £742million and has been shared between councils in England.
Councils are currently in the process of distributing their share of the fund - but what support you can get varies depending on where you live.
Wealden District Council has opened applications for residents - and free cash worth £200 is up for grabs.
To qualify, you need to be aged 18 or older, living in the Wealden District Council Local Authority area and be receiving one of four benefits:
Universal Credit (that also includes the Housing Costs element)
Housing Benefit
Council Tax Reduction
an SMI (severe mental impairment) exemption and would therefore otherwise be entitled to a Council Tax Reduction
You can only apply for one of the £200 payments now if you meet the criteria above and did not receive help through the previous round of HSF, which ran from October 2024 to March this year.
Only one application can be made per household and will be paid into your bank account within 14 days of a successful claim.
Further details on how to apply can be found via www.wealden.gov.uk/benefits/household-support-fund.
This funding comes as part of phase one of Wealden District Council's allotment of its share of the current round of HSF.
The second phase will be held between October 1 and March 31, 2026, when anyone who received help in the previous round of HSF can apply for a £200 payment.
The same eligibility criteria for phase one will apply to phase two.
Three key benefits that YOU could be missing out on, and one even gives you a free TV Licence
What about if I don't live in Wealden?
You may be eligible to get support through the HSF if you don't live in Wealden. However, it depends on where you live.
This is because each council sets it own eligibility criteria.
However, the Household Support Fund, which was first established in 2021, is designed to help those on low incomes, benefits or classed as vulnerable.
So, if you fit into any of these three categories, the chances are you will qualify for support.
The best thing to do is visit your local council's website where most have a page dedicated to the Household Support Fund.
Or, you can contact your local council's customer service helpline to inquire.
The latest round of Household Support Fund runs until March 31, 2026, and some councils have already opened up for applications.
Households in Birmingham are being urged to apply for £200 payments.
supermarket vouchers worth up to £320.
Other help if you're on a low income
It's worth checking if you're eligible for benefits if you haven't already - it could boost your bank balance by thousands of pounds a year.
If you're struggling with the cost of food, check where your nearest food bank is.
The Trussell Trust has hundreds of food banks across the UK, and you can find your nearest one here - trussell.org.uk/emergency-food/find-a-foodbank.
The Trust's food banks issue emergency parcels to people who cannot afford to cover costs themselves.
Meanwhile, if you have fallen behind on your energy bills, you might be able to get a grant to wipe any debt.
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Charity Turn2Us' benefits calculator works out what you could get.
Entitledto's free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data.
You can use Policy in Practice's calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.