Household Support Fund - Round 5

Update 12th August 2024

Please be aware that the Hardship Grant Community Fund scheme is currently open for enquiries. 

Please note that the scheme is still expected to continue supporting eligible households with grant award payments into September 2024 as planned.

If you have submitted a successful enquiry since the current scheme opened in May 2024, please bear with us – a member of the team in your local area will reach out to you using the contact details provided in the next 3-4 weeks.

Hardship Grant Community Fund

After receiving cabinet approval in April 2024, the Household Support Fund Round 5 is being made available to ease the financial burdens faced by its vulnerable citizens living in Birmingham.

The Household Support Fund, provided by the Department for Work and Pensions, is a fixed amount of money available to the Local Authority to be used to support those households in most need, with essentials such as food, energy and essential goods and supplies including water.

Birmingham Voluntary Service Council’s (BVSC) Hardship Grant Community Fund (HGCF), part of Birmingham City Council’s (BCC) wider Household Support Fund (HSF) activity, will be running until 30th September 2024.

BVSC will be distributing grants of up to £200 to Birmingham households, currently facing financial hardship, with the funds intended to help households with food costs and energy payments.

When does it start?

Applications will be accepted from May 2024, and we will continue to accept applications until 30th September 2024, or until all funding has been exhausted if sooner.

Who is eligible?

• You must be a Birmingham Resident
• You must be experiencing financial hardship, particularly with regards to covering costs linked to food and energy
• Your household must not have received a £200 grant payment in the last 12 months*

Please be aware that you may be expected to provide proof of address and proof of means-tested benefits (if you are in receipt of them) in the case that you are invited to apply.

How do I apply?

To apply, potential applicants will be required to complete the enquiry form, located on the website below, answering questions aimed at determining your suitability for a grant payment. All applicants will be contacted via email on the outcome of their enquiry and next steps.

Alternatively, please scan the QR code, with your mobile phone or tablet camera to open the link and then click on the Enquiry Form tab.

Household Support Fund Enquiries

If you are unable to access the website above, then please use the phone number provided below to progress your enquiry.

0121 634 7100

Please be aware that your enquiry will be processed faster if you use the form, so we strongly encourage you to do so if you are able to.

Further Information

The HSF Hardship Grants Community Fund network operate a zero-tolerance approach to abusive language, bullying and harassment. If any of these behaviours are observed during your application, with any member of our HSF team, your grant application will not be completed.

Our zero-tolerance approach means that any demonstrated incidents of harassment, bullying behaviour or use of abusive language will be regarded seriously and your application will not be progressed.

Please respect the time and hard work our HSF team are dedicating to help support as many households as possible during this cost-of-living crisis.

*You do not need to pay any fee to apply for a Hardship Grant. Should any organisation request a fee from you to apply, please do not give them any personal details and contact BVSC immediately to report them.

Please be advised that each household is only eligible to receive one £200 grant payment in a 12 month period. e.g. If you received a £200 payment on 31st May 2023, you cannot make another application until 1st June 2024. Any enquiry received before your eligibility date will be rejected.

The application system actively monitors submitted applications looking for signs of fraud and details of any attempts to make fraudulent applications and/or fraudulently receive grant funding will be shared with West Midlands Police.

Receiving a grant from this fund will not impact on any other benefits you may be receiving or may be entitled to.

Grant payments are made directly into a bank account in the applicant’s name. If you do not currently have a bank account, please click the link below for details on how to open a Basic Bank Account.

Opening A Basic Bank Account

What additional support is available?

You can find more information and resources on BCC's Cost of Living Support Page and on the Government’s Cost of Living Hub.

You can also find out about what other support may be available for you, as well as finding out useful tips for saving money on the Help for Households campaign page. 

You can also apply for support from Birmingham City Council via the Local Welfare Provision scheme.

How can I make contact with BVSC? 

If you would like to leave us a Comment, Suggestion, or make a Complaint, please click the link below. 
Compliments, Comments and Complaints Policy