Household Support Fund

The council has been allocated a further round of Household Support Fund Grant Funding (HSF) - called HSF6 - by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). This round of funding is to be used between September 2024 and March 2025 to support some low income and vulnerable households facing defined cost of living pressures.

This support is being developed and will be made available in stages. This page will be updated as and when these offers become available.

HSF6 will provide a range of discretionary support rather than being legal entitlements and all awards are based on funding still being available.

Council HSF support - automatic payments

HSF support will be available in stages. Most of this support will be provided automatically without households having to apply.

Sunderland Fuel Fund - the council has allocated £610,000 from its HSF 6 grant allocation, along with an additional council contribution of £300,000, to create the Sunderland Fuel Fund.
The council will also be making payments to many adult social care users who receive Personal Budgets from Sunderland City Council and are not permanently resident in a care home. These payments will be made automatically in early 2025 to support vulnerable residents that have low incomes and low savings.
The council and Together for Children have again allocated HSF funding for vouchers for pupils eligible for means tested free school meals. This will be used to cover the Christmas 2024 holiday period , will be worth £60 per pupil , and will be distributed by the pupils' schools. The voucher will be in addition to a wide range of Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) provision across the city.

Council HSF support - Applications (January 2025 - March 2025)

Households that are vulnerable, struggling financially and in crisis and are unable to meet the cost of energy/heating, food, or other essential bills, may be eligible for support under the council's HSF application scheme.

Applications can be made via the council or designated Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) providers.

No applications can be made or will be accepted outside these periods.

This scheme will be open from January 2025 and details of eligibility criteria and how to apply will be made available closer to that time. Only one application-based award can normally be made to a household in this period.

All HSF awards are discretionary and not legal entitlements, and will only be made while there is funding available to do so.

Other HSF funded support

The council is also providing additional support to a range of other organisations to directly support their own customers. This includes support for foodbanks/food aid providers to enable them to meet additional demands and supplement their existing offers, and funding for 'keep warm packs'.

The council is also providing extra funding for its Local Welfare Support Scheme to help it meet additional demands. This can assist vulnerable households' that are struggling financially under certain circumstances. 

If you are struggling financially, vulnerable, and unable to meet your immediate needs, you may be eligible for support. 

Crisis Support may provide help with food (where a foodbank is unable to help) and fuel (only for prepayment meter customers) where you have experienced an unforeseen crisis or emergency.
Community Care Support can, in certain circumstances, help with the costs of essential furniture and white goods when moving into a new home or, by exception, with replacement items.

Please see our Financial Wellbeing Support Hub for details of other support that is available, including additional help with energy costs and energy efficiency, and other support services and schemes including the Government's own Cost of Living support (opens new window).

Please note: There are a number of text, phone, social media and email HSF and Cost of Living scams currently circulating. If you receive any of these please do not open them, click on any of the links, or respond to requests for money.