Household Support Fund
The government's Household Support Fund was introduced in September 2021. Five rounds of funding have been distributed by councils in England to directly support vulnerable households with meeting daily needs, such as food, clothing and utilities.
For information about support and advice available to help with the cost of living you can visit:
- the Government’s cost of living page https://www.gov.uk/cost-of-living
- our Cost of Living page for more information about the local support and advice available
Household Support Fund - fifth round
We have been allocated £207,000 from Surrey County Council to be spent by 30 September 2024. We will be distributing this grant in a range of different ways to reach our most vulnerable households.
£100 supermarket and fuel vouchers
Supermarket and fuel vouchers to pay for food and utilities will be offered through our referral partners to residents who are struggling financially.
Those receiving a voucher must live within Reigate & Banstead and provide a valid address at which they are registered. Vouchers will be available until September 2024 or until funds run out, whichever is earliest.
If you are suffering from financial hardship you should contact one of the following partners:
- Raven Housing residents should contact Raven on 0300 123 3399 or email raven@ravenht.org.uk
- Anyone already in contact with the Council’s Money Support service, or Community Debt Advice, please talk to your normal contact
- If you are not known to any of the above organisations, contact Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead on 0808 278 7945 or visit www.carbs.org.uk to fill in an enquiry form online.
Other support
Funding has been provided to The Mayor’s Trust Fund, a hardship fund that can support one off costs that are putting extra financial pressure on a resident.
Local voluntary and community organisations and Food Clubs have been grant funded to provide food, fuel and energy efficiency support to residents in need. Contact communitypartnerships@reigate-banstead.gov.uk with any questions about grants.
Our housing team will be supporting households they are already working with to cover housing costs where no other funds/support are available.
Household Support Fund – fourth round
This round closed on 31 March 2024.
We were allocated £512k from Surrey County Council which was distributed in a range of different ways to reach our most vulnerable households.
Household Support Fund – previous rounds
During the third round, which ended on 31 March 2023, we supported 2,745 financially vulnerable households with:
- supermarket vouchers distributed through Raven Housing Trust and Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead
- top-up payments provided through a number of local organisations
- grants to several local charities to help them to provide extra support locally
During the second round, which ended on 30 September 2022, we supported 2,451 financially vulnerable households with:
- one-off £110 payments to households with someone over 65 years old currently claiming Council Tax Reduction
- funding to food clubs and other local voluntary sector partners to provide support locally
During the first round ending 31 March 2022, we supported 4,294 financially vulnerable households with:
- supermarket vouchers to households with children receiving Council Tax Reduction and to households referred to the scheme by other Council departments or our partners (Raven Housing and Citizen Advice Reigate & Banstead)
- grants to local voluntary and community organisations and food clubs to deliver targeted help, such as hot meals and essential items to people struggling financially
- Support to cover housing costs through our housing team where no other funding or support was available