Winter help for struggling households

Households struggling to afford important family prices, akin to for meals or power, can apply for help via Household Support Fund (HSF) funding, delivered by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council.

The newest funding may furnish low-income households with essential short-term monetary help, alongside free, sensible recommendation from Citizen’s Advice BCP and Ridgewater Energy specialists on managing cash and heating houses effectively.

Funded by the UK Government’s Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), HSF spherical seven will run till 31 March 2026.

Cllr Millie Earl, Leader of BCP Council, stated: “The Household Support Fund initiative can present struggling households with essential monetary help, in addition to sensible recommendation and steering from consultants to assist residents make their cash go additional.

“I urge anyone who thinks they might be eligible to apply, and to make the most of the practical advice and guidance on offer.”

BCP Council continues to work intently with neighborhood and voluntary sector companions via the ‘Together We Can’ partnership, delivering a variety of help, together with within the following foremost areas, to supply efficient reduction to struggling households:

 

• Household grants for important payments

The Citizen’s Advice BCP staff can present family grants to assist with meals and power prices for eligible households via an software course of. They can even present wraparound help to assist with points akin to advantages recommendation, homelessness and home abuse, in addition to sensible budgeting and debt administration steering.

Household Support Fund grant vouchers valued at £150 might be supplied to eligible residents over the funding interval, that means households could possibly be entitled to as much as £300 in help over the yr.

Applications from qualifying households might be accepted within the following home windows:

• 9am on Monday twenty ninth Sept 2025 to 4.30pm on Friday twenty first Nov 2025

• 9am on Monday eighth Dec 2025 to 4.30pm on Friday thirtieth Jan 2026

Funds are restricted in comparison with variety of functions which are obtained, and grants are prioritised for probably the most weak low-income households. For extra data, go to the Citizen’s Advice HSF webpage, name Citizen’s Advice line on 0808 278 7939, or go to the staff at any community outreach session.

 

Food help might be accessed via the BCP Access to Food Partnership, made up of greater than 300 people and 150 organisations working collectively to verify everybody has entry to meals.

Funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, the partnership contains meals banks, neighborhood fridges, social supermarkets, neighborhood meals and cooking workshops. Click here to view our interactive map of neighborhood meals help and discover a location near you.

The HSF can also be offering a college vacation meals voucher scheme to assist households with youngsters. This is on the market to highschool age youngsters instantly via faculties, and thru the BCP Council’s Family Information Service for eligible youngsters aged 5 or youthful.

Eligible households may obtain £15 per baby through the October half-term vacation.

For extra data relating to eligibility for youngsters aged beneath 5 and find out how to apply, please contact the Family Information Service on 01202 093 131 or electronic mail familyinformation@bcpcouncil.gov.uk

• Keeping heat and power help

Ridgewater Energy are providing sensible recommendation that can assist you get monetary savings and preserve your house heat. Through the HSF, grants are additionally accessible to allow residents to make heat-saving upgrades to their houses, akin to putting in loft or cavity wall insulation, together with different energy-saving measures to cut back payments.

The HSF additionally helps heat welcome neighborhood areas that provide locations to heat up in winter, and keep open in summer season for assembly others, becoming a member of actions, getting a drink or meal, studying about cost-of-living help, or spending quiet time away from house.

We now have over 50 neighborhood areas accessible, together with house inside 24 native libraries. Click here to view our interactive map and entry a heat and welcome house near you.

• Grants for neighborhood and voluntary sector organisations

BCP Council, working with Dorset Community Foundation, are offering small grants to local people and voluntary sector organisations which are serving to residents with the price of dwelling.

Eligible organisations and teams can apply to the BCP Energy and Support Fund for as much as £12,000 in HSF grant funding to ship invaluable initiatives. The grant fund is open till noon on 7 May for functions, with an extra grant spherical to return in Autumn.

If you’re supporting folks with the price of dwelling, please discover out extra concerning the grants accessible. For full eligibility standards and to use, full an internet software kind by BCP Food and Energy Support Fund – Dorset Community Foundation.