Eligible households with children urged to apply for support to help ease cost-of-living pressures

As part of the Household Support Fund, Nottinghamshire Council is to receive an additional £5.6 million from the Department for Work and Pensions to ease some of the financial worries for residents struggling to make ends meet.http://nottinghamshire.gov.uk/householdsupportfund

Up to £1.75m is being used to help families who qualify for FSM, via a single Winter Support Payment to each eligible household.

Now, the council is writing to nearly 17,898 households eligible for support inviting them to apply for their payment before the deadline of January 31.

Coun John Cottee, council cabinet member for communities, said: “We are pleased the latest round of financial support from the HSF will provide a welcome boost to those households with children facing cost-of-living challenges this winter.

“Letters will be landing on your doormats in the coming days, so please look out for them as soon as you can, because we want everyone eligible for this payment to receive this vital support.

Coun Tracey Taylor, council cabinet member for children and young people, said the roll out of the WSP would build on the council’s work to support thousands of households across the county.

She said: “The WSP is the fairest way to distribute money from the latest round of HSF funding and ensures those households and families with children who need support get the help they need.

“With so many people dealing with the ongoing pressures of rising cost of living, we want to ensure help is available for those who will be the hardest hit.

“We are proud of our record in delivering support to families struggling with cost-of-living challenges and the roll out of the WSP reaffirms our commitment to helping those households and ultimately making sure thousands of Nottinghamshire schoolchildren won’t go hungry.

In terms of eligibility, the support an individual family will receive will depend on the number of children eligible for FSM in the household.

Eligible households can apply for the payment by completing an online form or by calling the customer service team, Mondays-Thursdays, 9am-5pm, and Fridays, 9am-4.30pm, on 0300 500 8080.

For further information about the fund, see nottinghamshire.gov.uk/householdsupportfund