Cost of living payments worth £250 to be paid from next week - see who can claim
Cost of living payments worth £250 will be paid to thousands of households from next week.
Residents in the West Midlands, specifically Dudley, could be eligible for a £250 cost of living payment to help with everyday expenses this winter. The money comes from Dudley Council's share of the Government's Household Support Fund.
This Government-funded scheme provides local councils with pots of cash which they can use to help households struggling with the cost of living in their areas. Each council can decide how they spend the money and who they spend it on.
Dudley Council has already allocated most of its £5.2million fund to support. However, £800,000 has been set aside for others struggling with living costs. The funding was divided into two phases, with £300,000 available from April to September and £500,000 from October onwards. The second phase was temporarily halted due to high demand but will resume next week on Wednesday, January 17 at midday.
Households that didn't receive a payment during the first phase could be eligible for £250, or £300 if someone in the household has a disability.
Even the Tooth Fairy is feeling the cost of living crunch with payments down 10%
Households that got cash in the first round might get £100 more, or £125 if they have a disability. But if you got money from October to December last year, you can't apply again. According to Dudley Council's website, you can make an application if you live in the Dudley Borough and:
- You are a multi-person household (this includes your partner, children or anyone else that lives with you)
- Your joint gross income, including wages and any other income (for example pensions and all benefits), are less than £45,000 per year
- Your savings are less than £2000
Or
- You are the only adult in the household
- Your gross income, including wages and any other income (for example, pensions and all benefits), is less than £35,000 per year
- Your savings are less than £2000
You must also disclose to the local authority why you are unable to pay your bills. The council says the application window will remain open until the remaining funding has been spent, so you will need to be quick. You will be able to make an application for the money online through the council's website here.
Dudley Cllr Steve Clark said: "When we launched phase two in October, we saw the biggest demand yet and had to pause the scheme very quickly. This allowed us time to process the applications we had received and ensure we had enough money in the pot to help those who were eligible."
"Some funding is still available which means we are now able to reopen phase two to help those most in need. I must stress that we expect demand to be high, so we'll monitor applications and may have to close the scheme quickly. We hope to help as many households as possible who are on low incomes and need additional support with household costs such as energy bills and essential items."
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]
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