The Household Support Fund (HSF) helps people experiencing immediate financial hardship to pay for food and household energy bills.
You can access this support directly through the County Council, or there is a network of local organisations (our ‘Trusted Partners’) who can help you access the support.
This is money the council has been awarded by HM Government to help those in need and most affected by the cost of living crisis to support them to resolve their financial issues. It is not charity.
Eligibility
In February 2023, we have been able to open the scheme for multiple applications. Therefore, residents who have previously applied will have been contacted with details of how they can apply again.
Alternatively, you can apply using the link in the ‘how to apply’ section below.
If you live with a spouse or partner, you must make a joint application for your household, even if your spouse/partner is not applying. Your eligibility will depend on your partner’s income and savings, as well as your own.
You are eligible to access this support through the Household Support Fund if all the following apply to you (and your spouse/partner):
- currently live in Cambridgeshire
- have £16,000 or less in money, savings and investments
- have income levels less than identified in the tables below.
If you are paid monthly the figures are before any tax due, though you should include all sources of income. This includes income from sources such as benefits, pensions, students or dependents grants and income from property or other investments.
|
Gross annual income |
No children |
1 child |
2 children |
3 or more children |
|
Single adult |
£24,876 |
£30,465 |
£37,377 |
£48,735 |
|
Couple/Joint application |
£34,494 |
£36,123 |
£42,418 |
£54,572 |
If you are paid weekly the figures relate to the amount you receive each week after any changes made by the tax and benefit systems.
|
Net income per week |
No children |
1 child |
2 children |
3 or more children |
|
Single adult |
£392 |
£605 |
£802 |
£1,016 |
|
Couple/Joint application |
£593 |
£718 |
£911 |
£1,130 |
How to apply
During your application, you will be asked to provide evidence of your eligibility for the fund. This can be 3 months of bank statements showing your (and your partner/spouse’s) income or payslips showing your collective income. Screenshots/photos are acceptable as long as they are readable.
You can apply directly to the fund by completing the online application form.
If you are of state pension age and meet the above eligibility criteria, you can also access support through our partner Age UK Cambridgeshire and Peterborough by phone on 01223 221929 or by email at hsf@ageukcap.org.uk
What happens after you apply
We are currently aiming to process applications in 2 weeks.
Please do not submit duplicate applications or contact us to check the progress of your application if it is within this timescale. This will not speed up your application.
We will review the information provided in your application and check that you meet the eligibility criteria.
We will then contact you to understand more about your circumstances and work with you to find the right tools to make a longer-term plan for a more financially resilient future. We will also discuss with you the details of any awards that you may be eligible for.
Trusted partners
You can also access support from the fund through one of our Trusted Partners (listed below). They are able to support with new applications for support, however, are not able to provide an update on existing applications.
If you represent a local community group and would like to be considered to issue Household Support Fund direct awards please email CommunityCV@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Household Support Fund privacy notice
In these difficult times, we are working very closely with our district and city council partners, schools, voluntary sector organisations as well as the volunteers who are helping to deliver the vital support to our local communities. This means that we will need to receive and share personal information about our residents. Our Household Support Fund privacy notice provides information about what kind of personal information we request, what we may do with it and who may have access to it.
Fraud Statement
The County Council is required by law to protect the public funds it administers.
If you falsely declare your circumstances, provide a false statement, or provide false evidence in support of your application, you may have committed an offence under the Fraud Act 2006. Where the Council suspects that fraud may have occurred, the matter will be investigated and may lead to criminal proceedings.
