Household support fund

Pensioner households

We'll be making payments to low income pensioner households during 2025/26 as part of the household support fund.

Low income households who are eligible for this extra financial help include:

Pensioners receiving Pension Credit

We will issue a £50 payment to low-income pensioner households who are receiving Pension Credit and are in receipt of either Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction. Existing Council records for these benefits will be used to identify eligible pensioner households and you will be contacted how to apply if eligible with all of the required information required to apply.

Eligible households are being contacted and all invites will be issued by early July 2025. If you believe you are eligible and have not received contact by mid July 2025, please contact householdsupport@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk or 0808 175 3599.

However, If you require general support with claiming, please contact the telephone number shown on the invite to claim.

Banking Checks

As part of this application, a bank verification check will be completed to ensure that the bank account declared belongs to the person applying for support. If at the end of your application you are advised that further evidence is required, this means that this bank check has failed and this further evidence is needed to consider your application. This could be because the name on your bank account is not an exact match to the details you completed as the applicant, such as missing middle name.

Please provide evidence that the bank account belongs to you e.g. bank statement which shows the account name, bank account number and sort code clearly visible. The quickest way to provide this is by uploading the statement to your application form which will allow us to verify the account details provided quicker. Alternatively, please provide this to householdsupport@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk along with your seven digit application reference. If you do not provide your evidence when requested then unfortunately, we will be unable to consider your application so please ensure this is provided. 

Pensioners not receiving Pension Credit

It had previously been determined that we would issue a £200 payment to low-income pensioner households who are not receiving Pension Credit and will therefore not receive a Winter Fuel Payment.

However, following the announcement from central government to changes in the Winter Fuel Payment criteria which means these households will now receive the Winter Fuel Payment, this part of the scheme will no longer be going ahead.

Alternative options to use this funding are currently being considered and this webpage will be updated once this has been finalised.