Overview

• The UK government has allocated £421 million to local councils under the Household Support Fund to aid low-income households with essential costs through March 2026.
• North Somerset will issue £100 food vouchers to 5,200 children eligible for free school meals in June, alongside £50 vouchers for other vulnerable groups in June 2025 and January 2026.
• Salford Council is deploying £4.8 million for holiday meal vouchers and a £200 winter payment for residents over 65 who may qualify for Pension Credit but are not yet receiving it.
• Birmingham’s Household Support Fund will reopen in June 2025, offering £200 cost-of-living grants to households experiencing financial hardship.
• Worcestershire’s scheme provides up to £500 for households with children and £300 for adult-only or pensioner households, based on income and vulnerability criteria.