The government announced on 26 May 2022 a further extension to the Household Support Fund, which will now run to 31 March 2023 with an additional £500 million of funding for local authorities to support vulnerable households1. The fund was first announced on 30 September 2021 as a £500 million support fund covering 6 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, and was extended on 23 March 2022 to 30 September 2022 with a further £500 million1.
The fund is distributed by councils in England, which make small payments to help vulnerable households meet daily needs such as food, clothing, and utilities1. The guidance states that households in need of support should contact their local council to find out more information and apply for the fund1. The scheme applies to England1.
Under the Barnett formula, the devolved governments will receive up to £79 million of the £500 million: £41 million for the Scottish Government, £25 million for the Welsh Government and £14 million for the Northern Ireland Executive1. It will be for the devolved governments to decide how to allocate this additional funding1. This brings the total amount of funding announced since October 2021 to £3 billion including Barnett impact, including over £2.5 billion allocated to local authorities in England1.
"On 26 May 2022 the government announced a further extension to the Household Support Fund. The fund has been extended to 31 March 2023 with an additional £500 million of funding which will be used by local authorities to support vulnerable households."
| Nation | Share of the £500 million |
|---|---|
| Scottish Government | £41 million |
| Welsh Government | £25 million |
| Northern Ireland Executive | £14 million |
Why it matters for households
The Household Support Fund is a grant paid through councils rather than a discount applied to bills, so the money reaches a household only if it applies and is assessed as eligible by its local authority1. For a home facing a shortfall on utilities, food or clothing, the fund is one of the routes available alongside crisis funds, hardship grants and energy debt help. Because allocation and administration sit with councils in England, the amount available and the way it is paid can differ between areas, and the devolved administrations set their own arrangements for their share1. For households in England, the practical effect of the extension is that support remains open for a further six months to 31 March 2023; for low-income households in Northern Ireland, the £14 million Barnett share is allocated at the discretion of the Northern Ireland Executive1. Households with medical needs or dependence on powered equipment may find that the fund's scope for utilities is relevant alongside other support for vulnerable and medically dependent households1.
What happens next
The extended fund runs to 31 March 20231. The guidance page records later extensions beyond that date, including an additional £1 billion announced on 17 November 2022 in the Autumn Statement, with a further £842 million in England to extend the fund from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 20241. It also records an extension from 1 April 2024 to 30 September 2024, with £421 million for local authorities in England, and a further extension from 1 October 2024 to 31 March 2025, again with £421 million for local authorities in England1. A further extension from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 provides local authorities in England with an additional £742 million1. The page was last updated on 1 April 20261.