Household Support Fund

Wigan Council have received funding from the UK government for the Household Support Fund.

Funded By UK Government logo

Other help and support is available by visiting:

The funding is to support households in the most need with food, energy, water bills and with other wider essential costs.

The scheme runs from 1 October 2024 to 31 March 2025 inclusive.

Are you eligible?

When assessing requests for support, we will take into account hardship or the risk of experiencing poverty or financial difficulties.

To be eligible for the Household Support Fund, you must meet the following criteria:

  • Struggling to afford food and energy costs
  • You live in the borough of Wigan (if you don't live in Wigan borough, you must apply to your own local authority)
  • Be aged 16 years or more
  • Applicants with no recourse to public funds can apply regardless of their immigration status, if there is a genuine care need that does not arise solely from destitution for example if:
    • There are community care needs
    • They have serious health problems
    • There is a risk to a child’s wellbeing.

Anyone can apply for support. You do not need to be in receipt of benefits to apply.

What support is available?

There is a variety of support available for:

  • Payments or vouchers towards Food
  • Help towards energy costs
  • Other essential items.

Free School Meals - School Holiday Support

For school holidays, we will be providing support with food.

Eligibility: households who are registered with us as having children eligible for means tested free school meals will receive support.

How to apply: you don’t need to apply. We’ll send out support for all households who are entitled.

Pensioner households

Households with pensioners in receipt of Council Tax Reduction will receive support with the rising costs in energy.

How to apply: you don’t need to apply. We’ll send out support for all households who are entitled.

Care leavers

Care leavers who have housing cost bills, will be supported with the rising costs in energy.

How to apply: you don’t need to apply. We’ll send out support for all households who are entitled.

Households with disabled family members

Households in receipt of council tax disabled band reduction will be supported with the rising costs in energy.

How to apply: you don’t need to apply. We’ll send out support for all households who are entitled.

Unpaid carer

If you are an unpaid carer you can make a claim for the Household Support Fund, apply for welfare support online.

Alternatively, if you get support by any of the following organisations they can make a referral for you.

  • Macmillan
  • Citizens Advice
  • Wigan and Leigh Carers Centre.

Households with a Chronic disease Diagnosis

Households with a person diagnosed with a chronic disease which includes cancer can make an application for the Household Support Fund, apply for welfare support online.

Alternatively, if you get support through other organisations, like Macmillan Cancer Support, they can make a referral on your behalf.

Supporting information

If you make a claim you will need to provide evidence to support it, which may include:

  • Proof of identity e.g. passport
  • Proof of your bank account for payment e.g. your most recent bank statement.

How to make a claim

Requests for support will be directed through our current local welfare support offer.

To make a claim for the Household Support Fund, you will need to:

You can apply more than once and multiple awards can be made to the same household if the need is identified. 

The scheme will run from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025.

What to do if you don't agree with the decision

If you’ve been refused an award under the Household Support Fund or you’re awarded less support than requested, you can ask the Council to review the decision.

  • Contact us within one month of being notified of the decision.

The review will be conducted by an officer who was not involved in the original decision and is of an appropriate grade. There is no statutory right to appeal against a decision not to award a grant, or against the value or composition of any grant.

Complaints regarding the administration of the scheme should be made using the Council’s complaints procedure. The only further recourse is through judicial review.

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