HOUSEHOLDS in one part of England earning less than £400 a week can apply for £300 in free cash to cover the cost of living.
The help comes via the Household Support Fund (HSF) which is worth £842million.
Councils in England have been given a share of the fund and are distributing it to residents in need.
That means what you are entitled to varies depending on where you live, but in most cases you will receive help if you are on a low income or benefits.
And residents in West Northamptonshire with a weekly income of £400 or less may be eligible for a £300 payment.
Who is eligible?
Your household must be earning £400 or less a week after tax, including any Government benefits to apply.
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Meanwhile, you can't have received any of the cost of living payments, including the £150 disability cost of living payment.
You also must meet the following criteria:
- have less than £5,000 in household money, savings and investments
- be over 18 years of age
- a West Northamptonshire resident
- in full time or part time employment
- have a valid UK bank account
Each application will be assessed individually and if successful the £300 payment will be made in two instalments.
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The first £150 will be made after your application is approved and the second to the same bank account 60 days later.
Only one application can be made per household but you can still apply if you received help through previous rounds of the HSF.
West Northamptonshire Council said any applications should be processed within three weeks, so bear that in mind when budgeting for the two instalments.
Who else can get help?
You can still get help if you don't live in West Northamptonshire.
In most cases, if you're on benefits like Universal Credit or Income Support, you'll be in line for help via the HSF.
But you should contact your local council to see what is on offer.
If you don't know what local authority area you fall under, you can use the Government's locator tool on its website.
You just have to type in your postcode and it will bring up your local council.
Households in Rutland can get up to £270 worth of help while Dorset Council started distributing £150 vouchers last month.
What other help is on offer?
If you can't get help via the Household Support Fund you might be able to access support through other means.
There are still two instalments of the £900 payment set to come, with the second coming within weeks.
The payments are being made to anyone on the following benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Pension Credit
If you're not on one of the above benefits yet, it's worth seeing if you could be eligible.
Not only will you start receiving money from the benefit, it could make you eligible for the second and third instalments of the £900 cost of living payment, worth £300 and £299.
Millions of pensioners are set to receive a top up worth up to £300 to their Winter Fuel Payment this winter as well.
The amount of top up you receive will depend on your specific circumstances, like when you were born.
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Meanwhile, you might be able to get grants from your energy firm if you're struggling to make payments.
British Gas, EDF, E.On and Scottish Power all offer them. You should get in touch with your provider to see if you're eligible for anything.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
You can also join our new Sun Money Facebook group to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.
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