Household Support Fund: Update 1st October 2024
The Household Support Fund is currently paused for new enquiries.
If you have submitted a successful enquiry since the current scheme opened earlier this year, you are on the waiting list and will be contacted in the next four weeks to complete your full application.
Please be patient whilst the team work through the waiting list. Additionally, please ensure that you have your voicemail turned on, so the team can leave you a message if you miss our call, and that your phone accepts calls from withheld/private numbers.
If you need to contact us about an existing successful enquiry or application, please leave a voicemail with your name, postcode and phone number on 07855 409 582 or email us at household.support@greensquareaccord.co.uk. You can also use these contact details to submit any additional information that we have requested.
Household Support Fund enquiries will reopen in late November 2024. If you are not currently on the waiting list, or it has now been 12 months since you received your last grant payment, you will be able to submit a new enquiry once the next round opens. Please check the BVSC website for updates.
What is the Household Support Fund?
The Household Support Fund is a one-off grant of up to £200 to Birmingham households, currently facing financial hardship, with the funds intended to help households with food costs and energy payments.
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) to support your application.
Receiving a grant from this fund will not impact on any other benefits you may be receiving or may be entitled to.
*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.
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.
Signposting, information and advice available for applicants:
- For details of current Cost of Living support available please visit Birmingham City Council’s dedicated hub: Help in Brum
- Birmingham City Council’s Customer Service Centres – Customer Service Centres across Birmingham who can assist with Welfare Benefits, Financial Problems, and Housing Issues
- Local Welfare Provision Scheme – Details of the LWP scheme aimed at helping vulnerable people in short term crisis with food and essential items
- Community Connectors – Information on how to get started with your local community connector, linking families to community support and assets
- Route 2 Wellbeing Directory – City-wide Voluntary and Community service directory
- The Waiting Room Support Directory – City-wide Voluntary and Community service directory
- Birmingham Food Justice Map – Map of City-wide food banks and warm welcome spaces
- Birmingham Warm Welcome Space Directory – Details of all the spaces in your area where you can come and keep warm this winter
- Birmingham Connect to Support-online information and advice guide, community directory and marketplace for citizens of Birmingham
Additional advice and information:
- Birmingham Housing Advice Pack
- Help in Brum: Birmingham Cost of Living Support
- Cost of Living Booklet
- Check benefits and support you can get
- British Gas Energy Support
- Turn2Us Benefits Calculator
- Support for Carers
- Change Grow Live alcohol and drugs advice
- Step Change (to apply for 60 days Breathing Space for debt management)
- If you are a household with children and require wider support, including parenting, food and/or mental health support, you can complete a self-referral Family Connect Form by clicking here.