The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions announced an additional £500 million on 2 September 2024 to enable the extension of the Household Support Fund, according to government guidance for local councils1. The funding covers 1 October 2024 to 31 March 2025 and includes money for the devolved governments through the Barnett formula, to be spent at their discretion1. Local authorities in England will receive an additional £421 million of that total1.
The fund was first announced on 30 September 2021 as a £500 million support fund covering 6 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, distributed by councils in England through small payments to help vulnerable households meet daily needs such as food, clothing and utilities1. It has been extended repeatedly since: to 30 September 2022, to 31 March 2023, and by a further £1 billion announced in the Autumn Statement of 17 November 2022, which provided a further £842 million in England for 1 April 2023 to 31 March 20241. A £500 million extension announced in the Spring Budget gave local authorities in England an additional £421 million for 1 April 2024 to 30 September 20241.
The September 2024 announcement brings the total funding announced since October 2021 to £3.5 billion including Barnett impact, of which just under £3 billion has been allocated to local authorities in England1. The guidance states that the fund applies to England and that households in need should contact their local council to find out more and apply1. StepChange, an independent debt advice charity, reports that the fund helps households pay for basics like food and energy bills, and that the extension runs for another six months2. It also notes that the fund operates in England, Wales and Scotland2, while the government guidance describes distribution by councils in England1.
| Extension period | Announced | England allocation |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Oct 2021 to 31 Mar 2022 | 30 Sep 2021 | £500 million fund1 |
| 1 Apr 2023 to 31 Mar 2024 | 17 Nov 2022 | £842 million1 |
| 1 Apr 2024 to 30 Sep 2024 | Spring Budget | £421 million1 |
| 1 Oct 2024 to 31 Mar 2025 | 2 Sep 2024 | £421 million1 |
"On 2 September, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions announced an additional £500 million to enable the extension of the Household Support Fund, including funding for the devolved governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion."
Why it matters for households
The fund is one of the routes by which a household on a low income can receive small payments towards utilities, alongside food and clothing1. Because it is administered by councils rather than paid automatically, the money reaches homes only where a local authority chooses how to allocate it and where a household applies1. For a home trying to keep energy costs under control without taking on debt, a one-off grant of this kind can cover a shortfall in a bill rather than change the underlying cost of heating or electricity. StepChange notes that these one-off payments do not affect a debt solution2. Separate support schemes exist for vulnerable and medically dependent households, and the wider grants and schemes landscape includes the Warm Home Discount, Cold Weather Payment and Winter Fuel Payment, whose eligibility rules StepChange reports have changed for 2024/252. Help for low-income households is organised differently in England and Northern Ireland.
What happens next
The extension runs to 31 March 20251. Government guidance records a later announcement: on 30 October 2024 the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced funding to extend the fund again, with local authorities in England receiving an additional £742 million for 1 April 2025 to 31 March 20261. No further extension beyond that period has been reported.