The Household Support Fund

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 - 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 in future years.

Details of the application process for this tranche of the Household Support Fund will be released in due course.

Families whose children receive free school meals

Your household will receive £15 per week for each child who receives free school meals, for 7 weeks of school holidays: spring half term and the 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. Cost of living gives you locations, days and timings. 

If you want to check what benefits and concessions you may be entitled to, access BetterOff Lewisham, our tool for extra help, as well as advice on debt, budgeting, jobs, and childcare. Watch this video to see how you can use BetterOff Lewisham.

Support from central government

• more information on cost of living support from central government