Household support fund
Overview
The Government has provided the Household Support Fund to local authorities for the period 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.
Having considered about how best to help people in Cheshire West and Chester, we have chosen to spend the money in the following ways:
- food vouchers for families with children who get free school meals
- payments to Pensioners who receive Pension Credit
- payments to Pensioners on a low income who are not receiving Pension Credit and therefore no longer qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment support. Please note following the announcement of changes to the Winter Fuel Payment criteria, this support will no longer be provided and alternative options to use these funds are being considered. Once these have been finalised this webpage will be updated
- making financial support available to people via local charitable organisations
- helping low income households with energy and food costs
- income maximisation software to support residents to claim all of their eligible entitlements
The discretionary support for helping low income households with energy and food costs has now been closed for applications due to high demand.
If you are currently struggling and require support with energy and food, we have lots of information available regarding the cost of living, other benefits and grants available, and our HELP scheme which provides support in an emergency or crisis situation for food, furniture and white goods.
You can contact the HELP scheme on 0808 175 3599 Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm.
For the scheme issuing winter payments to Pensioners, eligible households who have previously received a payment will have a payment reissued automatically.
Eligible households who have not previously applied have been contacted. If you believe you are eligible and have not received contact by mid December 2025, please contact householdsupport@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk or 0808 175 3599. However, if you have received your invite and require general support with claiming please contact the telephone number included on the invite to claim.
Crisis and Resilience Fund
From 1 April 2026, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will introduce a new Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF). This follows the Government Spending Review announcement in July 2025, which confirmed the end of the Household Support Fund (HSF) that has been in place since October 2021 and the creation of the CRF scheme running for three years. This new fund is designed to:
- provide effective crisis support to those that encounter a financial shock
- help individuals build their long-term financial resilience and reducing their dependence and repeat need for emergency assistance on things such as food parcels
- enhance partnerships between the Council and the Voluntary/Community sector
Whilst full details of the scheme are not expected from the Department for Work and Pensions until January next year, we are currently exploring how best to use this fund to support our residents. Once these details have been received and our plan is agreed, this page will be updated.
