Round 4 of the Household Support Fund reopens for applications

Round 4 of the Household Support Fund (HSF) will reopen for applications at 10am on Tuesday 6 February 2024 for low-income households in the Dorset Council area.

The government scheme funded by the Department for Work and Pensions, provides support in the form of supermarket vouchers. Citizens Advice will be allocating this fund on behalf of Dorset Council and vouchers will be issued to residents who meet the eligibility criteria within 6 to 8 weeks.

Dorset Council households will be able to apply if they:

• pay council tax to Dorset Council
• have an annual household net income of less than £30,000 and
• have savings of less than £16,000 and
• have not applied for a previous HSF payment within the last 6 months (since August 2023)

Calculations for the annual net income should not include Personal Independence Payments, Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Carers Allowance or Child Benefit. Applications are limited to one per household.

Cllr Laura Beddow, Dorset Council Portfolio Holder for Culture, Communities and Customer Services said:

“In a continued effort to support low-income households, round 4 of the Household Support Fund reopens on Tuesday 6 February, offering essential assistance through supermarket vouchers.

“If you are applying in this window, please make sure you have not applied for a previous HSF payment since August 2023 as further vouchers cannot be issued and there are a very limited number of applications available for this window.

“If you do miss out on this window, another will open on Tuesday 5 March 2024 at 10am.”

Residents should apply online. The application form will open at 10am. Find more details including future application window dates here: https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/household-support-fund

If you need help completing the form, you can telephone Customer Services on 01305 221000 or visit a customer access point.

For further information on all the support available, whether be access to food, money and debt advice or support with your household bills, visit our cost of living webpages at dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/cost-of-living-help.