Household Support Fund Summer 2022 Scheme The Household Support Fund (HSF) hardship grants summer scheme is now open for applications from eligible households across Birmingham. Help for Birmingham households experiencing financial hardship has been developed as part of Birmingham’s wider Household Support Fund programme. This follows an announcement by the Government in March 2022 concerning additional government short term grant funding being made available for the fund until September 2022. What support is available? A one-off hardship grant payment of up to £200.00 is being made available to help eligible households across three groups (households with children under 18, households of working age adults and households of pensionable age adults) who are experiencing financial hardship. The fund is intended to support households to cover essentials such as food and energy (gas, electricity, and water) costs. Eligible households with children under 18 or of working age adults must be identified as experiencing hardship, and have confirmed their entitlement (e.g., in receipt or an application is in progress) to receive one or more of the following means tested benefits: Council Tax Support Housing Benefit Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Income Support Pension Credit Social Funds (Cold Weather Payment, Funeral Payment, Sure Start Maternity Grant) Tax Credits (Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit) Universal Credit Households of pensionable age adults (aged 66 on or before 30.09.2022) must be identified as experiencing hardship in order to apply. Please note, households identified as having No Recourse to Public Funds are entitled to apply to this scheme for support. Please contact a local partner organisation in your local area for more details. If you have previously applied to receive a hardship grant funded by the Household Support Fund winter scheme you are able to apply for a grant from the summer scheme, provided your household is identified as eligible within the criteria listed above. How are grants paid? In most circumstances, successful grant awards are paid via BACS into the applicant’s bank account within 7 working days. All BACS payments are made directly by BVSC (Birmingham Voluntary Service Council, as the scheme’s financial administrator). Alternative arrangements may be put in place if you do not have access to your own bank account. Please contact the local partner organisation in your area for further details and to discuss your circumstances. How do I apply? In order to apply for a hardship grant you must contact your local partner organisation, from the table below, who will complete an eligibility assessment and, once confirmed, will submit an application on your behalf. Households with children Households of working age adults Households of pensionable age adults Edgbaston [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 0808 196 8856 0808 196 8856 0808 196 8856 Erdington [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 0121 748 0897 or 0121 747 5932 0121 748 0897 or 0121 747 5932 0121 748 0897 or 0121 747 5932 Hall Green [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 07855 409 582 07855 409 582 07855 409 582 Hodge Hill [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 07976 199 894 07977 187 217 07977 187 217 Ladywood [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 07816 086 607 07970 994 631 0121 515 4229 Northfield [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 07565 305 082 07565 305 082 07565 305 082 Perry Barr [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 0121 752 1908 0121 354 4080 0121 362 3650 Selly Oak [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Sutton Coldfield [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 0121 752 1863 0121 354 4080 0121 362 3650 Yardley [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] If you are unsure which organisation is supporting citizens in your local area, please use the postcode checker tool to identify your locality. If you have any issues contacting partners in your local area, please contact, [email protected]