Herefordshire Council has received an allocation of £1,329,601.78 from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) under the Household Support Fund.

Part of the funding criteria states that an open application process must be available for all residents within the county to apply. The expectation is that it should be used to support households in the most need; particularly those who may not be eligible for other support the government has made available but who are nevertheless struggling due to the increased cost of living.

The council already operates an application scheme for people requiring support in an emergency through its Local Welfare Provision (LWP) service. Utilising this funding enables the LWP service and eligibility criteria for emergency support to be enhanced, by providing additional staff resources to assess and administer applications and distribute the voucher payments.

The attached policy provides the local eligibility framework for emergency support to meet crucial needs of a person or household experiencing financial hardship resulting in them struggling to feed themselves or their family, heat their home, or pay for other essential living costs.