Funding has been made available by the government’s Department for Works and Pensions (DWP) to support vulnerable Blackpool residents who are struggling with rising living costs.
The Household Support Fund is a national scheme to provide support to vulnerable households in most need of help with significantly rising living costs.
The current fund ends 31 March 2025. We will update this page with details of continuation funding when available.
Household Support Fund - applications for assistance
In Blackpool the Household Support fund can help by providing short term financial support to meet immediate needs and help residents who are struggling to meet household energy or water costs.
- An award of £200 will be made to qualifying households of one or two people (including children)
- An award of £300 will be made to qualifying households of of three or more people (including children)
If successful awards will be paid directly to your energy provider and will appear as a credit on your bill or pre-payment electric or gas meter.
This scheme is open to Blackpool residents only. Household members must be permanent residents of the supply address.
Children must be permanent residents of the address and have child benefit in payment at the address.
We will carry out checks to confirm household numbers.
To apply for the household support fund applicants must be:
- Over the age of 16 and responsible for paying the electricity/gas bills for the property
- A Blackpool Council resident
- Experiencing financial hardship and not have enough resources to meet your immediate short term needs
- Only make one application per household within a 12 month period, due to limited funding
There is no requirement to be in receipt of Universal Credit or other DWP benefits to apply for this fund.
- You need to provide your most recent full months bank/building society/savings account statements for all accounts for the applicant and all other adults in your household
- Statements should show all transactions in and out of your accounts, and not just balances. This evidence is required to demonstrate that your household meets the aims of the scheme
We also need
- A copy of your electricity or gas bill clearly showing your name and address, the name of your supplier and your account number
- Or if you have a pre payment meter you will need to access and create an online account with your electricity or gas supplier. From your online account you can take a screen shot or photo showing your name, address, name of your supplier and your pre-pay account number
If you buy your electricity/gas from your landlord via a card or coin meter
- If you have a landlord meter fitted and have no direct access account with an energy supplier, please upload a letter from your landlord or letting agent confirming who is responsible for the gas/electricity supply to the the property and that you purchase gas/electricity through a private card or coin meter
Applications submitted without the required supporting evidence will be automatically declined.
If you are having difficulty obtaining the required evidence or difficulty uploading documents please contact us by email blackpoolhouseholdsupport@blackpool.gov.uk
When you submit your application you will be advised of an application reference number.
Please quote this reference number in any correspondence regarding your claim. We aim to assess applications as quickly as possible and strictly in the date order they are received.
Due to the expected high number of applications it may take several weeks before your application is considered. You will be contacted as soon as your application is assessed.
Please note applications submitted without the required evidence will be declined.
As this is a discretionary scheme there is no right of appeal. However if you feel we have overlooked important information you can ask us to look at the application again. Please email blackpoolhouseholdsupport@blackpool.gov.uk providing your reasons for review together with your name, address and reference number.
Following this review the decision will be final.
We are committed to tackling and preventing fraud in all its forms.
If a claimant attempts to claim an award from the household support fund by making a false declaration or providing false evidence or statements they may have committed an offence under the Theft Act 1968.
Where the council suspects fraud may have occurred it will investigate the matter as appropriate, they may lead to criminal proceedings.
Please note this is not an emergency support scheme. If you require urgent support with food, gas or electricity pre-pay top-ups, Blackpool Council Discretionary Support Scheme may be able to help.
Additional help with Council Tax may be available from the Council Tax Reduction scheme.
Additional help and advice regarding affordable warmth advice and assistance, including:
- Warm homes discount
- Priority services register
- Understanding and reducing fuel bills
- Energy efficiency
- Budgeting money
- Dealing with fuel debt
- Fuel incentives
- Tariff differences
- Switching
- Smart meters
- Green measures
- Addressing damp
- and more
are available from the BCH Warm and Healthy Homes project. This service is available to owner occupiers and tenants (not just BCH tenants).
Make your application now
Other ways we use the Household Support Fund
We are also using funding to provide additional support for the period 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025:
Cost of living helpline
The helpline is run in partnership with Blackpool, Wyre & Fylde Volunteer Centre. If you are struggling to find the help you need they can signpost you to an organisation that may be able to help.
Telephone 0808 175 3379 - Monday to Friday 9.00am until 5.00pm. Please do not use this number for enquiries about applications already made to the Household Support fund. If you need to make an enquiry about an existing application please email blackpoolhouseholdsupport@blackpool.gov.uk
Pensioners struggling with winter energy costs
To be eligible for a £200 energy voucher you must meet the following criteria
- Resident in the Blackpool Council area
- You must in receipt of State Pension but not receiving Pension Credit element
- The combined savings of all people in the household is less than £10,000
- Struggling with the cost of household bills and cost of energy
Please note only one award can be given per household (not per person).
School meal support during school holidays
Families with children that are attending Blackpool Schools and normally eligible for free school meals during term time will receive supermarket food vouchers for £15 per week for each eligible child for school holidays up to 31 March 2025. You must be a Blackpool resident.
This is a temporary arrangement and there is no statutory requirement for this support to continue in the longer term.
If you are eligible you do not need to apply, vouchers are distributed by Blackpool schools. If you have any queries about vouchers please contact your school.
Care leavers
Food vouchers will be provided for our care leavers that are responsible for household bills. You do not need to apply. We also provide a bus pass scheme for those that might be struggling with the cost of transport.
If you have any enquiries please contact your usual support worker.
Voluntary sector funding grant scheme
Voluntary sector organisations were also able to apply for grant projects to help Blackpool residents with cost of living issues. Are voluntary sector grants are now fully allocated for the present round of the Household Support fund.
You can view what support is available locally from voluntary organisations