The Household Support Fund
Every five to six years, the calendar makes it so we have 53 Mondays instead of the usual 52. This coming financial year, 2024 / 2025, is one of those special years.
If you get Universal Credit, the Department for Work and Pensions will only pay for 52 weeks of your rent in a year. In a 53 week financial year, this means there will be one week of rent that will not be covered by Universal Credit.
Find out what we're doing to help and what to do if you're affected and already struggling with the cost of living.
Information about the Household Support Fund, and how to get help if you are having problems finding your voucher
We’ve received an additional £2.6 million from the Department for Work and Pensions to support vulnerable residents with the cost of food and utility bills. This is the fifth phase of the Household Support Fund – it covers the period 1 April 2024 to 30 September 2024.
We’ll distribute the funding to several groups of residents but we’ll use some of it to provide help and support, and try and provide sustainable solutions that will help residents for years to come.
Families whose children receive free school meals
Your household will receive £15 per week for each child who receives free school meals, for 8 weeks of school holidays: spring half term, summer term, the 2024 Easter holidays were covered from the previous fund.
You’ll receive the funding directly from the school.
Contact your child’s school if you have any questions.
Sustainable support
With previous Household Support Fund phases, we had to provide cash payments, which only supported people for short periods.
This time we’re able to fund longer-term schemes like debt advice and support with benefits.
If you need support and you would like to talk to someone, we are launching a range of drop-in advice services across the borough in partnership with Citizens Advice Lewisham. Check www.lewisham.gov.uk/support for locations, days and timings.
Support from central government
- more information on cost of living support from central government