Household Support Fund (HSF5)
The Household Support Fund will provide crisis support to households most in need. It offers financial help to vulnerable households that may be more severely affected by the cost-of-living crisis. The scheme is funded by the Government.
Support for families with children eligible for free school meals
The scheme will help around 44,000 children in Manchester. It includes:
- a £15 payment for each eligible child for the 2024/25 May half-term.
- a £55 payment for each eligible child for the summer holiday.
- £95,000 for a Holiday Activity Fund for the May half-term holiday.
All free school meal payments will be distributed by Manchester schools. Arrangements will be made with other Greater Manchester councils for children attending school outside the Manchester area. The funding includes pupils in school nursery classes and sixth forms.
Support for care leavers
Care leavers under the age of 25 and living in their own tenancies, will receive:
- £10 a week for up to 26 weeks to top up their income.
Support for households receiving specific benefits
We'll provide financial support to residents in these groups:
Group 1
£100 to households receiving Council Tax Support where at least one person receives a disability benefit – such as Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payments (PIP).
Group 2
£100 to households not included in group 1, with four or more people and receiving Council Tax Support.
Group 3
£90 to households not included in groups 1 and 2, with a dependent child (a child under 20 and where Child Benefit is in payment) and receiving Council Tax Support.
Only one Household Support Fund payment will be made to each eligible household.
Payments
If you're eligible and pay council tax by direct debit, the payment will go into your bank account automatically. It will go to the bank account used to pay the direct debit.
If you pay council tax in cash (by PayPoint, standing order, bank transfer or online) or have no council tax to pay, you'll get a Post Office Payout voucher by post. It can be cashed at any Post Office.
We'll make payments to bank accounts in mid June 2024. Post Office Payout vouchers will be sent over two weeks starting in mid June 2024. We'll update this page to confirm the dates.
Other parts of the fund
Other funding will include:
- £220,000 for the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector to allocate.
- £100,000 to support our community food response.
- £20,000 for our Welfare Provision Scheme – support for energy and household costs in a crisis.
Applying for support
Awards for Household Support Funding will be based on the same financial criteria used by the Welfare Provision Scheme.
From April 2024 to September 2024, the Welfare Provision Scheme may give two payments (not one) in a 12-month period. If we approve a second award within 12 months, the additional award will be funded by the Household Support Fund.
Vulnerable residents can get emergency help for utility bills and other essential needs from the Welfare Provision Scheme.
If you need urgent help, complete the Welfare Provision Scheme application form and choose 'other reason' as the reason for assistance.
Awards will be funded by the Household Support Fund.
If you'd like to contact us, use our Household Support Fund contact form.