Household Support Fund
In September 2024, it was announced that the Household Support Fund (HSF) would be extended for the sixth time (HSF6) until 31 March 2025.
In the Autumn Statement, the Chancellor announced that the Household Support Fund will be extended for another 12 months from April 2025 to March 2026 (HSF7).
The funding details and government guidance for HSF7 have not been released yet, so the following information only applies to HSF6 until 31 March 2025.
West Northamptonshire Councillors have approved plans for distributing funding for the sixth Household Support Fund (HSF6) in line with the Government guidance.
This includes:
- providing around 12,700 families with children on benefits-related free school meals with food vouchers over the school holidays
- offering around 12,700 families with children on benefits-related free school meals the opportunity to apply for a Winter Coat Voucher
- offering vulnerable households the opportunity to apply for a Winter Warm Pack or Energy Saving Pack via our Welcoming Spaces
- providing grants to voluntary and community organisations allowing them to increase the dedicated and tailored support that they offer to residents
- continuing to work closely with our trusted partners to provide tailored support to residents with:
- debt and money advice
- energy saving advice
- practical energy saving measures
- practical household support
All awards and funding are complemented by wrap-around support schemes to help transition households from crisis support to a more sustainable, longer-term offer of financial wellbeing.
Cost of living
West Northamptonshire Council are providing a variety of awards, services and provisions across West Northamptonshire funded by the Household Support Fund. This page contains details on the various types of support available to residents, grouped by theme.
Further information and support can be found on:
Cost of living roadshows
| Location | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| DTFC Community Hub (Food Bank) | Tuesday 10 December | 12pm to 2pm |
| Woodford Halse Library and the Community Café | Wednesday 11 December | 10am to 12pm |
| Bellinge Community Centre | Thursday 12 December | 10am to 12pm |
| Semilong Community Centre | Friday 13 December | 1pm to 3pm |
Pupils in receipt of benefits-related free school meals
School holiday food support
Grocery vouchers will continue to be issued to schools or parents or carers of all pupils in receipt of benefits-related free school meals:
- one single voucher will be provided in October to support all holidays up to March 2025
- the voucher link will be issued between 14 October to 21 October 2024 to all eligible pupils
- vouchers are valued at £15 per child, per week of the holidays
- no additional vouchers will be issued in December or February as these holidays are covered by the initial voucher
Winter coat application
Parents or carers of pupils in receipt of benefits-related free school meals can apply for a Winter Coat Voucher for their child. Applications will remain open until 28 February 2025 or until all available funding has been exhausted.
Only children in receipt of benefits related free school meals are eligible to apply for this award.
Pupils receiving universal school meals due to being in reception, year 1 or year 2 are not eligible unless they have registered for Pupil Premium, see:
Only one award can be claimed per eligible child. Where 2 or more adults have parental responsibility or guardianship for a child, the adult who completed the initial free school meal/pupil premium application should complete this form.
Keeping warm and well this winter
Welcoming spaces
Welcoming Spaces across West Northamptonshire offer a cosy, safe spot where people can meet, get advice, and enjoy hot drinks.
Winter Warmth and Energy Packs
If you are having trouble with fuel costs or keeping warm this winter, you can apply for Winter Warmth and Energy Support Packs through your local Welcoming Space. Funded by the Household Support Fund, these spaces will assist you in applying for a voucher to get a Winter Warmth Pack or Energy Saving Pack delivered to your home.
To be eligible for a Winter Warmth Pack or Energy Saving Pack, you must meet the following conditions:
- Experiencing fuel poverty
- Have not received a Winter Warmth Pack or Energy Saving Pack from another provider
- Belong to at least one of these groups:
- have a long-term health condition that makes you more vulnerable to cold weather (e.g. asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, coronary heart disease, or a history of stroke) or a physical or mental health condition that means you spend more time at home
- have a registered disability that affects your mobility or requires you to spend more time at home
- aged 65 or older
- part of a family with dependent children
- pregnant
Support where you live
Local Voluntary and Community Organisations can apply for grants funded by the Household Support Fund.
These grants will help them provide support based on their knowledge of residents needs.
The grant application deadline is 6 November 2024.
After this date, applications will be reviewed, and successful applicants will be notified. We will update this page to show which organisations have received funding to help residents.
A list of grants awarded in the previous round is provided below. If you are already receiving support from these organisations, you might be able to access programmes funded by these grants.
The Household Support Fund has regularly provided money to members of the Food Aid Alliance West Northants (FAAWN) to support their food banks and community larders.
Community Larders provide a place where residents can regularly access food at a low cost. This allows residents to contribute towards reducing food waste by making use of surplus food, make friends through a community hub, access additional support services and save money.
Find your nearest Food Bank or Community Larder on the FAAWN website.
The following organisations and projects have been provided with HSF monies to support West Northamptonshire Residents:
| Organisation | Description |
|---|---|
| Albanian Cultural Association | Crisis support distribution initiative - Aims to reduce food insecurity by providing immediate access to essential food items. |
| Brackley Food Bank | Additional support for foodbank clients. |
| Bugbrooke Food Bank | Food and household essentials aid, energy and winter essentials cost support in Bugbrooke and surrounding villages |
| Cohesive Society CIC | Providing critical support to vulnerable Bangladeshi households in Northampton. To ensure households have the essentials needed and to help facilitate membership in local food larders |
| Community Spaces Northampton | Aims to teach families how to cook nutritious meals, to improve social welfare, health and conditions for the communities around the community centres. |
| Daventry Food Bank | Providing fresh food to vulnerable individual and families during the winter period. |
| Emmanuel Group of Churches for Weston Favell Centre Food Bank | To provide crisis support to vulnerable households in most need via Weston Favell Food Bank. |
| Impact Now | Providing emergency food support, addressing immediate hunger but also promoting financial resilience and long-term stability within the community |
| Moulton Community CIO | Provision of food support through the Community Together Programme |
| Northampton Bangladeshi Association | Provision of food support within the local community. |
| Northampton Hope Centre | Immediate relief and essential support to vulnerable individuals (particularly those are homeless and or single people/couples living in financial hardship), we will also support families who are struggling day to day supplying warm clothing, and access to food |
| Ramgarhia Board Northampton | Provide vulnerable members of our community with essential food items, household cleaning and personal hygiene products |
| Restore Northampton | Provide food and essentials to households. Providing items of food, and access to wrap-around support services, |
| Shine Development Concept CIC | Provision of a safe space where Black populations can form relationships and receive relevant help and support including food parcels, health talks, cooked meals, and advice. |
| Sikh Community Centre & Youth Club | Providing welfare services to clients that have a variety of issues and challenges resulting in poverty and vulnerability. Will provide food, warm hub hot food café, winter resources, hygiene packs and winter advice. |
| South Northants Volunteer Bureau | Immediate food and welfare assistance for vulnerable households. |
| St David’s food bank and community cafe | To provide food, winter warmth and appliances to some of the most vulnerable children and adults in our community |
| St James - 3 Pillars | Food bank to support the vulnerable within the local community. |
| The McCarthy-Dixon Foundation | Support those most vulnerable during the Winter months. Provide emergency support as well as long term and sustainable solutions for households in need. Services provided: direct foodbank provision, food support, appliances, energy support, household furnishing and bedding, winter coats and shoes, insulation and energy efficiency items, information and advice packs. |
| Towcester Food Bank | Household Essentials Bags to compliment the emergency food parcels issued by the Foodbank. These will contain a range of standard cleaning and laundry products to further assist low-income households struggling with cost of living. |
| United African Association | Food bank to support the vulnerable within the local community. |
Households can also access support with energy saving advice. This service is provided by our partners at Community Law who specialise in this form of support.
Organisations and projects have been provided with HSF monies to support West Northamptonshire Residents:
| Organisation | Description |
|---|---|
| Age UK Northamptonshire | Energy saving measures in the home - Providing home energy assessments and provision of energy saving/ efficiency devices for older people. |
| Community Law Service | To address the immediate need of clients who have a one-off financial shock or difficulties affording their essential energy costs. Ensure vulnerable individuals are connected to an energy supply and to reduce their energy costs |
| Daventry Food Bank | Providing Winter Warmth support to Food Bank users |
| Emmanuel Group of Churches for Weston Favell Centre Food Bank | To provide crisis support to vulnerable households in most need via Weston Favell Food Bank. |
| Food for Thought Daventry | Rural Community Larders : Providing sustainable food aid into market towns and villages in West Northamptonshire |
| Growing Together | To improve emergency access to food in and around Blackthorn |
| Happy to Help CIC (Northamptonshire Partnership Homes) | To provide households with an identified need with the means to: Reduce their energy use and its associated cost, reduce food costs & waste and access white goods and bedroom furniture |
| The McCarthy-Dixon Foundation | Support those most vulnerable during the Winter months. Provide emergency support as well as long term and sustainable solutions for households in need. Services provided: direct foodbank provision, food support, appliances, energy support, household furnishing and bedding, winter coats and shoes, insulation and energy efficiency items, information and advice packs. |
The following organisations and projects have received HSF funds to assist households with babies and young children.
| Organisation | Description |
|---|---|
| Baby Basics | Alleviate the financial pressure on vulnerable households welcoming a baby into the family. Providing essentials needed to care for their baby in the winter months with a particular focus on ensuring warmth. |
| Restore Northampton / Growbaby | Provide for families through the Growbaby scheme. Provide items of food, infant essentials and access to wrap-around support service |
Priority groups include, but are not limited to, residents over 65, registered disabled individuals, care leavers, families affected by substance abuse, and those at risk of homelessness.
The following organisations and projects have received HSF funds to support residents in priority groups:
| Organisation | Description |
|---|---|
| Age UK Northamptonshire | Pension credit support for older people - Assisting older people to claim Pension Credit or other benefit entitlements |
| Age UK Northamptonshire | Energy saving measures in the home - Providing home energy assessments and provision of energy saving/ efficiency devices for older people. |
| Aquarius | To alleviate the financial strain on vulnerable households impacted by substance abuse, by addressing their immediate needs for essentials such as energy and water bills, food, winter warm packs and other necessary household items. |
| BAK UP CIC | Alleviate the financial strain on low-income households, pensioners and vulnerable people by providing access to essential goods, including food and white goods. Will aim at but not limited to supporting pensioners impacted by the changes to the winter fuel allowance. |
| Bridge Substance Misuse Programme Ltd | Member Crisis Support Fund – allowing members with immediate, crisis needs to be supported with energy advice, hygiene products, clothing and warm packs. |
| Northampton Hope Centre | Immediate relief and essential support to vulnerable individuals (particularly those are homeless and or single people/couples living in financial hardship), we will also support families who are struggling day to day supplying warm clothing, and access to food |
| Right Resolution CIC | The aim of the project is to meet the cost of living challenges and the hardships that are being experienced by Care Leavers. Provide vital financial support towards the purchase of energy saving items and provide non-perishable food. |
| Salifu Dagarti Foundation | Supporting vulnerable pensioners who are experiencing fuel poverty by providing warm packs, clothing, and food. |
| The Lewis Foundation | Cancer poverty care and support packs providing much needed essentials and specialised toiletries for cancer patients |
| Trilogy Active | Engaging vulnerable pensioners and those impacted by the winter fuel payment in a range of social, communal, leisure and wellbeing activities to promote better health, access to warm, welcoming spaces and additional support. |
The organisations below and projects have been provided with HSF monies to support residents with the cost of household essentials, including, but not limited to; white goods and appliances and support for those experiencing hygiene poverty.
| Organisation | Description |
|---|---|
| A Bag for Flo | Assisting individuals experiencing period poverty, providing access to free period products for those who are unable to afford them. |
| BAK UP CIC | Alleviate the financial strain on low-income households, pensioners and vulnerable people by providing access to essential goods, including food and white goods. Will aim at but not limited to supporting pensioners impacted by the changes to the winter fuel allowance. NN1, NN2, NN3 |
| Daventry Contact | Furniture and White Goods for Vulnerable Households |
| Daventry Food Bank | Providing Winter Warmth support to Food Bank users |
| Doddridge Centre Limited | Providing an opportunity for those who live in the local area to sign up to borrow household items from their “Library of Things”. This allows households to have access to items that they cannot afford to buy for themselves or may not need to use on a regular basis. |
| Happy to Help CIC (Northamptonshire Partnership Homes) | To provide households with an identified need with the means to: Reduce their energy use and its associated cost, reduce food costs & waste and access white goods and bedroom furniture |
| Impact Now | Supply essential clothing to vulnerable households to help them stay warm and healthy. |
| Northampton Hope Centre | Immediate relief and essential support to vulnerable individuals (particularly those are homeless and or single people/couples living in financial hardship), we will also support families who are struggling day to day supplying warm clothing, and access to food |
| Ramgarhia Board Northampton | Provide vulnerable members of our community with essential food items, household cleaning and personal hygiene products |
| Salifu Dagarti Foundation | Providing support to low-income households affected by winter costs, clothing, and food. |
| Sikh Community Centre & Youth Club | Providing welfare services to clients that have a variety of issues and challenges resulting in poverty and vulnerability. Will provide food, warm hub hot food café, winter resources, hygiene packs and winter advice. |
| St David’s food bank and community cafe | To provide food, winter warmth and appliances to some of the most vulnerable children and adults in our community |
| The McCarthy-Dixon Foundation | Support those most vulnerable during the Winter months. Provide emergency support as well as long term and sustainable solutions for households in need. Services provided: direct foodbank provision, food support, appliances, energy support, household furnishing and bedding, winter coats and shoes, insulation and energy efficiency items, information and advice packs. |
| The Spring Charity | Offers practical support to families or individuals who are living with hygiene poverty. |
| Towcester Food Bank | Household Essentials Bags to compliment the emergency food parcels issued by the Foodbank. These will contain a range of standard cleaning and laundry products to further assist low-income households struggling with cost of living. |
Debt and money advice
The Debt and Money Advice Team can offer:
- support with debt options and negotiating payment arrangements
- money management and budgeting advice
- help with maximising income including benefits entitlement checks
- completing welfare benefit claim forms and support with appeals
- referrals to partners for further holistic support that compliments the financial support provided
- support in gaining confidence in managing finances through self help tools
You can request debt and money advice online by submitting a referral for
If you are a Housing Association tenant and require debt and money advice support, please refer to your Housing Association provider for further assistance.
Last updated 16 December 2024