PRESS RELEASE : Government support extended to help struggling households with bills and essential costs over winter [September 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 2 September 2024.

Millions of vulnerable people to receive help this winter as the Work and Pensions Secretary extends the Household Support Fund.

• £421 million boost for local authorities in England to help people most in need with the cost of their energy, food and water, with £79 million for devolved administrations
• Immediate support comes alongside the government’s growth mission to rebuild Britain and make every part of the country better off

Vulnerable households will receive support for the cost of essentials this winter, as the Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall announces an extension to the Household Support Fund for the next six months.

The £421m extension gives certainty to Local Authorities across England over the winter months – up until April 2025 – as they work to help those struggling with the cost of energy, food, and water.

Pensioners and others struggling to heat their homes or afford other essential items over the colder months should contact their local council to see what support may be available to them. Details on the latest scheme for local authorities and councils will be communicated in the coming weeks.

Many councils also use the Fund beyond emergency support, including working with local charities and community groups to provide residents with key appliances, school uniforms, cookery classes, and items to improve energy efficiency in the home.

An estimated £79 million will also be given to Devolved Administrations via the Barnett formula as the government leaves no stone unturned in ensuring every person – in every part of the country – has the foundations they need to be financially secure. Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can choose how to allocate this additional funding, as the UK government continues to work closely with them to help support vulnerable people.

Given the dire economic inheritance, we had to take difficult decisions to put our public finances on a sustainable footing as we tackle the £22 billion black hole.

1.3 million more people have fallen into poverty since 2010/11, with living standards falling by the largest year-on-year drop since records began in 2022/23. For over a decade people have also been denied the security and dignity that good work affords with more than a near record 2.8 million people out of work due to sickness.

As we continue our work to deliver growth, make work pay and develop our child poverty strategy in the long term, the extension of the Fund prevents councils and vulnerable households experiencing an immediate cliff edge of support with a tough winter ahead.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves MP, said:

The £22 billion blackhole inherited from the previous governments means we have to take tough decisions to fix the foundations of our economy.

But extending the Household Support Fund is the right thing to do – provide targeted support for those who need it most as we head into the winter months.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Liz Kendall MP, said:

We are extending the Household Support Fund for the next six months because it is a lifeline for people who are struggling with the cost of living.

The dire inheritance we face means more people are living in poverty now than 14 years ago – and this Government is taking immediate action to prevent a cliff edge of support for the most vulnerable in our society.

At the same time, we are taking action to fix the foundations of our country through our plans to grow the economy, make work pay, and Get Britain Working again.

The government is exploring options around how best to provide sustainable support to vulnerable households in the longer term while the ministerial Child Poverty Taskforce develops an ambitious strategy to tackle the root causes of poverty, and the Get Britain Working White Paper, to be set out in the Autumn, will develop measures to reduce inactivity and help people to find better paid and more secure jobs.

By growing the economy and unlocking investment through the National Wealth Fund; launching Great British Energy to drive home-grown clean energy and lower bills; making work pay and developing a new Child Poverty Strategy to give children the best start in life – the Government is looking at all levers available to unlock the potential of millions across the country and give them the platform they need to thrive.

Additional Information

• The Household Support Fund is administered by the Department for Work and Pensions and delivered by Local Authorities in England. It can be used to help vulnerable residents with energy and water bills, food and other essential items.
• People can find their council here.
• Barnett consequentials for Devolved Governments will be finalised in due course.
• In 2022/23, there were 1.3 million more people in relative poverty after housing costs than in 2010/11.
• In 2022/23, living standards, as measured by RHDI per capita, fell by 2.1 per cent, the largest year-on-year drop since records began in the 1950s.