Household Support Fund extension ‘hugely welcome’

The government has announced the extension of a vital fund which helps the most vulnerable households with essential food and energy costs.

The Household Support Fund (HSF), allocated by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), made £842million available to councils from April 1, 2023. This included more than £6million to Croydon council and about £5.5million to both Lambeth and Southwark councils.

The fund was originally due to end in September, but has been extended to run until the end of March next year. 

The money in the HSF will be distributed to councils, which can use the scheme to give struggling households small payments.

This year alone, Lambeth council used £2.7million from its HSF allocation to set up projects supporting the boroughs most vulnerable.

A Lambeth council spokesman said: “Extending the HSF beyond September allows us to continue providing vital support to the borough’s lowest income residents, particularly households with children in receipt of free school meals during the school holidays.”

The HSF was introduced in October 2021, with initial funding of £500m to help people hit by the Covid pandemic.

It has since been extended several times, most recently in the spring budget when the previous government provided a further £500million to extend the fund through to September this year.

London Councils, the collective local authorities in the capital, welcomed the announcement.

Cllr Anthony Okereke, London Councils’ executive member for communities, said: “The life-changing impact of the fund is clear. In London, boroughs have used the fund to provide meals for thousands of children during school holidays, help low-income households pay for essentials such as gas bills or school uniforms, and open warm hubs to support residents struggling with heating costs.”

Pictured top: Brixton and Norwood Foodbank (Picture: James Hopkirk)