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Home Social care and health Somerset Household Support Fund

Somerset Household Support Fund

Financial support for vulnerable households which are struggling to afford household essentials

  • Introduction

  • How to apply

  • What the fund will cover

  • Local and national support

  • Your questions answered

Introduction

Are you Struggling with bills? Support is available

The Household Support Fund is designed to provide short-term urgent financial help to Somerset residents who are struggling to afford household essentials such as buying food, paying for energy and water bills and other essential household items such as beds and white goods.

      Funding provided from the Department for work and Pensions

How to apply

You can go to a library and use one of their public computers to complete an online application or take in your own device and use their Wi-Fi for free. You can also find a list of additional household help and support here

To apply, you must:

  • Live in the County of Somerset – if you live in North Somerset, help is available from North Somerset Council
  • Be over the age of 16 and living independently of parents/carers
  • Not have sufficient money to pay for essentials

You can apply if you:

  • Are temporarily out of work
  • Are unable to work due to illness
  • Are long term unemployed and unable to retrain due to multiple reasons such as poor health
  • Have a chronic illness
  • Have a severe learning or physical disability that affects your day-to-day life
  • Are in receipt of pension credit
  • Currently use a mental health service, or a member of your household does
  • Are a carer
  • Are pregnant
  • Have a child that requires a specialist diet
  • Have a child with a chronic illness
  • Have a child with a severe learning or physical disability that affects their day-to-day life
  • Are or have been a child in care (Child looked after)
  • Are a care leaver
  • Receive support from Somerset County Council Childrens Social Care
  • Are fleeing domestic abuse
  • Are homeless and have been placed in temporary accommodation
  • Are a refugee
  • Are a foster carer, kinship carer or special guardian who cares for a Somerset child and can demonstrate a need for immediate or short-term support, which could not be reasonably paid for from any allowance you may receive
  • Receive support from Somerset County Council Adults Social Care
  • You or your family currently have a Social Worker and are on a Child in Need Plan or on a Child Protection Plan

You can register for the fund here. To create an account select ‘Create Individual Account’.

You are unable to apply if you:

  • have savings over the value of £2000

If you do not qualify for this funding and are a Somerset resident there may be other help available. Please use this link for more information

What the fund will cover

Examples of what the Household Support Fund can pay for

  • Supermarket food vouchers
  • Energy Top Up Vouchers (for use with pre-payment meters)

The fund will not cover:

  • Debt repayments
  • Cash payments
  • Rent or housing costs
  • Phone bills
  • Non-urgent items such as televisions and some furniture

Local and national support

You can go to a library and use one of their public computers to complete an online application or take in your own device and use their Wi-Fi for free. You can also find a list of additional household help and support here

Cost of living website – The government is offering help for households. See what cost of living support you could be eligible for.

Cost of living payment – GOV.UK guidance on getting an extra payment to help with the cost of living if you’re entitled to certain benefits or tax credits.

GOV.UK Cost of living fact sheet

GOV.UK Benefits calculators

GOV.UK Pension Credit calculator

Understanding Universal Credit

 

Your questions answered

  • Can I get help if I go to work or if I am retired, or if I do not work at all?

  • Will a Household Support Fund affect my benefits?

  • How do I apply?

  • What happens next?

  • What if I can’t apply through the website?

  • Fraudulent Claims

Can I get help if I go to work or if I am retired, or if I do not work at all?

Yes, provided you can show that you are struggling to pay for essentials.

Will a Household Support Fund affect my benefits?

No, it will not affect your benefits.

How do I apply?

Register on the Auriga portal here: https://scc.aurigaapp.org/login.php

To create an account select ‘Create Individual Account’

What happens next?

The application will be reviewed by the Household Support Fund who will let you know what will be provided and how you will receive this.

The Household Support Fund aim to review all requests for:

  • food/utility top up vouchers within 2 working days
  • white goods/beds/other within 5 working days (please note white goods and beds can take 2 weeks or more to be delivered dependent on stock availability)

If you have problems registering or logging on please contact Auriga by email: somerset@aurigaservices.co.uk or phone 0121 362 3613

What if I can’t apply through the website?

The quickest way for you to apply is online

If you don’t have any support and need help to apply – Please phone Somerset County Council on 0300 123 2224. Somerset County Council will help you find an organisation who will help you make an application.

Fraudulent Claims

Where Somerset County Council suspects that fraud may have occurred, it will investigate the matter as appropriate, this may lead to criminal proceedings.

If a claimant attempts to claim an award from the Household Support Fund by making a false declaration or providing false evidence they may have committed an office under the Theft Act 1968.

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