Households can apply for new £300 cost of living payment from council

Households in Blackpool can claim up to £300 in new cost-of-living payments from their local council. The payments form part of the Government’s Household Support Fund, which has been extended for another year to support families while costs remain high.

The Government has added a further £ 742 million to the pot, which is allocated to local authorities across England to distribute to constituents most in need. The pot is available from April 1, 2025, until March 31, 2026. Councils in England decide how best to allocate their portion of the fund, with the amount received based on the size of the population within their catchment area and needs. Blackpool Council is using its allocation to support residents struggling to meet water or energy costs.

A £200 award will be made to qualifying households of one or two people, including children. For households of three or more people, including children, an award of £300 will be made.

If successful, the awards will be paid directly to energy providers and applied as a credit on the recipient’s bill or pre-payment electric or gas meter. This scheme is available to Blackpool residents only, and all household members must be permanent residents.

To apply for the household support fund, applicants must be:

• Over the age of 16 and responsible for paying the utility bills for the property
• A Blackpool Council resident
• Experiencing financial hardship and struggling to meet immediate short-term needs.

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There is no requirement to be in receipt of Universal Credit or other Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefits to apply.

Due to limited funding, Blackpool Council said it will only make one award per household within a 12-month period.

People will need to provide the most recent full month’s bank or building society account statement and savings account statements for themselves and all other adults in the household.

The statements must show all transactions in and out of their accounts, not just balances. This will help demonstrate that the household meets the scheme's aims. The council will also need a copy of the claimant's electricity, gas, or water bill clearly showing the claimant’s name, address, and energy account number.

If you have a pre-payment meter, you must access and create an online account with your electricity or gas supplier. From your online account, you can take a screenshot or photo showing your name, address, the name of your supplier, and your pre-pay account number.

Those with a landlord meter fitted and no direct access account with an energy supplier are asked to upload a letter from their landlord or letting agent. In the letter, they must confirm who is responsible for the gas/electricity supply to the property, and that the claimant purchases energy through a private card or coin meter.

People in Blackpool can apply for the scheme here.

Councils across the country are offering varying support, so it's key for Britons to check their local authority’s website or call their office to see what’s available. Right now, most councils are still deciding how they’ll allocate this year’s funding.

People can use this postcode checker to find out which council they fall under.