Household Support Fund: Update 11th March 2026
The Hardship Grant Community Fund scheme is currently paused for new enquiries and applications.
If you have submitted a successful enquiry since the current scheme opened in June 2025, please bear with us – you have been added to our Waiting List and 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.
Please ensure that you have your voicemail turned on, so the team can leave you a message if you miss your call, and that your phone accepts calls from withheld/private numbers.
If you live in Hall Green or Selly Oak and you have a query about an existing enquiry or application, you can contact us by phone on 0121 442 5080 or by email at household.support@greensquareaccord.co.uk
Residents of other areas should phone the main BVSC helpline on 0121 634 7100.
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 able to demonstrate that your household is experiencing financial hardship, and in particular covering food and energy costs
- Your household must not have received a £200 grant payment in the last 12 months*
Receiving a grant from this fund will not impact 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 January 2024, you cannot make another application until 1st February 2025. 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:
- Help in Brum – Birmingham City Council’s dedicated hub for current Cost of Living Support
- Birmingham Connect to Support – online information and advice guide, community directory and marketplace
- Birmingham City Council’s Customer Service Centres – find your nearest centre offering assistance with issues around finance, debt, benefits and housing.
- Check benefits and support you can get – on the gov.uk website
- Turn2Us Benefits Calculator – check what benefits you are entitled to receive
- Step Change – to apply for 60 days Breathing Space for debt management
- British Gas Energy Support – for energy debt grants and advice
- Birmingham Food Justice Map – map of citywide food banks and warm welcome spaces.
- Birmingham Warm Welcome Space Directory – details of venues in your area where you can find things to do, people to meet and a ‘warm welcome’ near you
- Birmingham Housing Advice Pack – updated May 2025
- Birmingham City Council Information for Carers – advice, information and links to local support services
- Change Grow Live – alcohol and drugs advice
- 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.
COMPLIMENTS – FEEDBACK – COMPLAINTS
We are committed to learning from your feedback, whether it’s a compliment, complaint, or suggestion.
- If you’ve received great service and want to let us know, you can pass on a compliment.
- If you have any ideas that could help us improve our services, you can submit a suggestion.
- If we’ve let you down, you can make a complaint. See our process below:

