SOME UK households will get £100 of free money from the government to help them with their living costs.
Help comes through the £842 million Household Support Fund (HSF).
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Municipalities in England received part of the fund and distribute it to residents in needCredit: Getty
Municipalities in England received part of the fund and distribute it to residents in need.
You may be entitled to it depending on where you live, but you’re likely to get help if you’re on a low income or on benefits.
And Leeds residents who meet certain criteria could be eligible for a £100 payment.
But there is a key date they need to be aware of.
Who has the right?
Your household must be registered as a Council Tax Benefit recipient by 23 October 2023 to claim funding from Leeds City Council.
Those with children or pensioners at home will receive £100 and those without children £75.
If you’re eligible, the money will be paid to you automatically – meaning you don’t have to sign up.
Payments should be made by the end of November via Posta vouchers.
Council Tax Grant is a discount on council tax that reduces the amount you have to pay.
There is a maximum discount of 75%, but how much you get depends on your income – unless you are part of a protected group.
Protected groups are pensioners, disabled people, single parents, caregivers of war widows and war pensioners.
To qualify for council tax support, you must:
- live in the UK
- pay municipal tax
- be on a low income
Who else can get help?
You can still get help if you don’t live in Leeds.
In most cases, if you receive benefits such as Universal Credit or Income Support, you will be eligible for help through the HSF.
But you should contact your local community to see what’s on offer.
If you don’t know which local authority area you fall under, you can use the Government’s search tool on its website.
You just need to type in your zip code and your local community will appear.
Households in Rutland can get help worth up to £270, while Dorset Council started handing out £150 vouchers last month.
What other help is on offer?
If you can’t get help through the Household Support Fund, you may be able to access help through other ways.
There are two more installments of the £900 payout to come, with the second coming in a few weeks.
Payments are made to everyone based on the following benefits:
- Universal credit
- Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
- Employment and maintenance allowance depending on income
- Income support
- Working tax credit
- Tax relief for children
- Pension credit
If you’re not yet using one of the above benefits, it’s worth checking to see if you qualify.
Not only will you start receiving benefit money, but this could also entitle you to the second and third installments of the £900 living expenses payment, worth £300 and £299.
Millions of pensioners will receive up to £300 extra on their winter fuel payment again this winter.
The amount of top-up you receive will depend on your specific circumstances, such as when you were born.
In the meantime, you may be able to get a grant from your energy company if you’re struggling to pay.
British Gas, EDF, E.On and Scottish Power offer them. You should get in touch with your service provider to see if you qualify for anything.
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Source: HIS Education