Household Support Fund
What is it?
The UK Government has provided local unitary authorities with a grant to provide crisis support to vulnerable households in most need with the cost of essentials. The objective of the Fund is to provide support to vulnerable households in most need of support, to help with significantly rising living costs.
Allocation and administration of the total funding for HSF6 (October 2024 - March 2025)
| Scheme | Amount | What this is? |
| Central Fund (for self referral) Application Based Support | £779,152 | For residents to come forward and apply for support. This is a discretionary fund, allocated on a case by case basis, to mitigate severe financial hardship. |
| Allocation to District Councils - Targeted Support identified through the districts | £811,828 | Localised Schemes - this will be updated following further consultation with the district councils |
| Allocation to Free School Meal (FSM) Holiday Vouchers - only eligible for those on FSM | £1,083,505 | Gloucestershire will provide families in receipt of Free School Meals, who sign up to this offer, with vouchers to assist with food costs during the school holidays. This replicates the successful allocation of funding in this way in the previous three tranches of the Fund. |
| Allocation to the Holiday, Activities and Food (HAF) Programme | £150,000 | Extending the scope of the HAF Programme to provide support to vulnerable children and young people who would not otherwise be eligible under the criteria set by the national programme. To find out more about HAF, please click here. |
| Allocation to Severn Wye Energy | £250,000 | Energy Agency for the provision of energy related support to Gloucestershire residents and those in need following a referral by Gloucestershire County Council’s (GCC’s) HSF team and/or any of the District Councils |
| Allocation to Age UK Gloucestershire | £250,000 | Provision of food, energy and advice related support |
| Allocation to Family Hubs/Children's Centres | £86,447 | To develop community cafe's and clothing swap shops |
| Admin costs for all schemes | £281,548 | To cover all admin costs of providing the schemes above |
Previous Funding
Please click on the boxes below to see how we have spent previous funding
Allocation and administration of the total funding for HSF5 (April 2024 - September 2024)
Gloucestershire allocated it's funding through the following;
| Scheme | Amount | What this is? |
| Central Fund (for self referral) Application Based Support | £750,000 | For residents to come forward and apply for support. This is a discretionary fund, allocated on a case by case basis, to mitigate severe financial hardship. To apply, click on how to apply. |
| Allocation to District Councils - Targeted Support identified through the districts | £812,500 | Localised Schemes - this will be updated following further consultation with the district councils |
| Allocation to Free School Meal (FSM) Holiday Vouchers - only eligible for those on FSM | £794,675 |
Gloucestershire will provide families in receipt of Free School Meals, who sign up to this offer, with vouchers to assist with food costs during the school holidays. This replicates the successful allocation of funding in this way in the previous three tranches of the Fund. Throughout 2023-2024 families will be supported with food costs during the school holidays including April half term (1 week), Summer holiday (2 weeks), October half term (1 week), Christmas holiday (1 week), and February 2024 half term (1 week). To sign up for this, please click here for more information. |
| Alternative Holiday Support | £529,000 | To provide alternative holiday support |
| Allocation to Foodbanks | £60,000 | To be allocated to food banks for the supply of emergency food provision during the period 1st April 2024 to 30th September 2024. |
| Allocation to Severn Wye Energy | £150,000 | Energy Agency for the provision of energy related support to Gloucestershire residents and those in need following a referral by Gloucestershire County Council’s (GCC’s) HSF team and/or any of the District Councils |
| Allocation to the Holiday, Activities and Food (HAF) Programme | £300,000 | Extending the scope of the HAF Programme to provide support to vulnerable children and young people who would not otherwise be eligible under the criteria set by the national programme. To find out more about HAF, please click here. |
| Admin costs for all schemes | £258,473.82 | To cover all admin costs of providing the schemes above |
Allocation and administration of the total funding for HSF5 (April 2024 - September 2024)
Gloucestershire allocated it's funding through the following;
| Scheme | Amount | What this is? |
| Central Fund (for self referral) Application Based Support | £750,000 | For residents to come forward and apply for support. This is a discretionary fund, allocated on a case by case basis, to mitigate severe financial hardship. To apply, click on how to apply. |
| Allocation to District Councils - Targeted Support identified through the districts | £812,500 | Localised Schemes - this will be updated following further consultation with the district councils |
| Allocation to Free School Meal (FSM) Holiday Vouchers - only eligible for those on FSM | £794,675 |
Gloucestershire will provide families in receipt of Free School Meals, who sign up to this offer, with vouchers to assist with food costs during the school holidays. This replicates the successful allocation of funding in this way in the previous three tranches of the Fund. Throughout 2023-2024 families will be supported with food costs during the school holidays including April half term (1 week), Summer holiday (2 weeks), October half term (1 week), Christmas holiday (1 week), and February 2024 half term (1 week). To sign up for this, please click here for more information. |
| Alternative Holiday Support | £529,000 | To provide alternative holiday support |
| Allocation to Foodbanks | £60,000 | To be allocated to food banks for the supply of emergency food provision during the period 1st April 2024 to 30th September 2024. |
| Allocation to Severn Wye Energy | £150,000 | Energy Agency for the provision of energy related support to Gloucestershire residents and those in need following a referral by Gloucestershire County Council’s (GCC’s) HSF team and/or any of the District Councils |
| Allocation to the Holiday, Activities and Food (HAF) Programme | £300,000 | Extending the scope of the HAF Programme to provide support to vulnerable children and young people who would not otherwise be eligible under the criteria set by the national programme. To find out more about HAF, please click here. |
| Admin costs for all schemes | £258,473.82 | To cover all admin costs of providing the schemes above |
Allocation and administration of the total funding for HSF4 (April 2023 - March 2024)
Gloucestershire allocated it's funding through the following;
| Scheme | Amount | What this is? |
| Admin Costs | £0.738m | Recruitment and remuneration of additional council staff in order to provide administration support in relation to the distribution of such funding. |
| District Allocation | £1.600m | Localised Schemes to provide targeted support in the local area. |
| Severn Wye Energy | £0.300m | Energy Agency for the provision of energy related support to Gloucestershire residents and those in need following a referral by Gloucestershire County Council’s (GCC’s) HSF team and/or any of the District Councils |
| Allocation to the Holiday, Activities and Food (HAF) Programme | £0.250m | Extending the scope of the HAF Programme to provide support to vulnerable children and young people who would not otherwise be eligible under the criteria set by the national programme. To find out more about HAF, please click here. |
| Allocation to Free School Meal (FSM) Holiday Vouchers - only eligible for those on FSM | £2.291m | Gloucestershire will provide families in receipt of Free School Meals, who sign up to this offer, with vouchers to assist with food costs during the school holidays. This replicates the successful allocation of funding in this way in the previous three tranches of the Fund. |
| Central Fund (for self referral) Application Based Support | £2.040m | For residents to come forward and apply for support. This is a discretionary fund, allocated on a case by case basis, to mitigate severe financial hardship. |
Allocation and administration of the total funding for HSF4 (April 2023 - March 2024)
Gloucestershire allocated it's funding through the following;
| Scheme | Amount | What this is? |
| Admin Costs | £0.738m | Recruitment and remuneration of additional council staff in order to provide administration support in relation to the distribution of such funding. |
| District Allocation | £1.600m | Localised Schemes to provide targeted support in the local area. |
| Severn Wye Energy | £0.300m | Energy Agency for the provision of energy related support to Gloucestershire residents and those in need following a referral by Gloucestershire County Council’s (GCC’s) HSF team and/or any of the District Councils |
| Allocation to the Holiday, Activities and Food (HAF) Programme | £0.250m | Extending the scope of the HAF Programme to provide support to vulnerable children and young people who would not otherwise be eligible under the criteria set by the national programme. To find out more about HAF, please click here. |
| Allocation to Free School Meal (FSM) Holiday Vouchers - only eligible for those on FSM | £2.291m | Gloucestershire will provide families in receipt of Free School Meals, who sign up to this offer, with vouchers to assist with food costs during the school holidays. This replicates the successful allocation of funding in this way in the previous three tranches of the Fund. |
| Central Fund (for self referral) Application Based Support | £2.040m | For residents to come forward and apply for support. This is a discretionary fund, allocated on a case by case basis, to mitigate severe financial hardship. |
Allocation and administration of the total funding for HSF3
Gloucestershire allocated it's funding through the following;
| Scheme | Amount | What this is? |
| Admin Costs | £0.369m | Recruitment and remuneration of additional council staff in order to provide administration support in relation to the distribution of such funding. |
| District Allocation | £0.738 | Localised Schemes to provide targeted support in the local area. |
| Severn Wye Energy | £0.240m | Energy Agency for the provision of energy related support to Gloucestershire residents and those in need following a referral by Gloucestershire County Council’s (GCC’s) HSF team and/or any of the District Councils |
| Allocation to Free School Meal (FSM) Holiday Vouchers - only eligible for those on FSM | £1.138m | Gloucestershire will provide families in receipt of Free School Meals, who sign up to this offer, with vouchers to assist with food costs during the school holidays. This replicates the successful allocation of funding in this way in the previous three tranches of the Fund. |
| Central Fund (for self referral) Application Based Support | £1.140m | For residents to come forward and apply for support. This is a discretionary fund, allocated on a case by case basis, to mitigate severe financial hardship. |
Allocation and administration of the total funding for HSF3
Gloucestershire allocated it's funding through the following;
| Scheme | Amount | What this is? |
| Admin Costs | £0.369m | Recruitment and remuneration of additional council staff in order to provide administration support in relation to the distribution of such funding. |
| District Allocation | £0.738 | Localised Schemes to provide targeted support in the local area. |
| Severn Wye Energy | £0.240m | Energy Agency for the provision of energy related support to Gloucestershire residents and those in need following a referral by Gloucestershire County Council’s (GCC’s) HSF team and/or any of the District Councils |
| Allocation to Free School Meal (FSM) Holiday Vouchers - only eligible for those on FSM | £1.138m | Gloucestershire will provide families in receipt of Free School Meals, who sign up to this offer, with vouchers to assist with food costs during the school holidays. This replicates the successful allocation of funding in this way in the previous three tranches of the Fund. |
| Central Fund (for self referral) Application Based Support | £1.140m | For residents to come forward and apply for support. This is a discretionary fund, allocated on a case by case basis, to mitigate severe financial hardship. |
Allocation and administration of the total funding for HSF2
Gloucestershire allocated it's funding through the following;
| Scheme | Amount | What this is? |
| Admin Costs | £0.369m | Recruitment and remuneration of additional council staff in order to provide administration support in relation to the distribution of such funding. |
| District Allocation | £0.738m | Localised Schemes to provide targeted support in the local area. |
| Allocation to Free School Meal (FSM) Holiday Vouchers - only eligible for those on FSM | £0.894m | Gloucestershire will provide families in receipt of Free School Meals, who sign up to this offer, with vouchers to assist with food costs during the school holidays. This replicates the successful allocation of funding in this way in the previous three tranches of the Fund. |
| Central Fund (for self referral) Application Based Support | £1.691m | For residents to come forward and apply for support. This is a discretionary fund, allocated on a case by case basis, to mitigate severe financial hardship. |
Allocation and administration of the total funding for HSF2
Gloucestershire allocated it's funding through the following;
| Scheme | Amount | What this is? |
| Admin Costs | £0.369m | Recruitment and remuneration of additional council staff in order to provide administration support in relation to the distribution of such funding. |
| District Allocation | £0.738m | Localised Schemes to provide targeted support in the local area. |
| Allocation to Free School Meal (FSM) Holiday Vouchers - only eligible for those on FSM | £0.894m | Gloucestershire will provide families in receipt of Free School Meals, who sign up to this offer, with vouchers to assist with food costs during the school holidays. This replicates the successful allocation of funding in this way in the previous three tranches of the Fund. |
| Central Fund (for self referral) Application Based Support | £1.691m | For residents to come forward and apply for support. This is a discretionary fund, allocated on a case by case basis, to mitigate severe financial hardship. |
Allocation and administration of the total funding for HSF
Gloucestershire allocated it's funding through the following;
| Scheme | Amount | What this is? |
| Admin Costs | To cover all admin costs of providing the schemes above | |
| Allocation to District Councils - Targeted Support identified through the districts | £0.738m | Local and targeted support in the district areas |
| Central Fund (for self referral) Application Based Support | £0.654m | For residents to come forward and apply for support. This is a discretionary fund, allocated on a case by case basis, to mitigate severe financial hardship. |
Allocation and administration of the total funding for HSF
Gloucestershire allocated it's funding through the following;
| Scheme | Amount | What this is? |
| Admin Costs | To cover all admin costs of providing the schemes above | |
| Allocation to District Councils - Targeted Support identified through the districts | £0.738m | Local and targeted support in the district areas |
| Central Fund (for self referral) Application Based Support | £0.654m | For residents to come forward and apply for support. This is a discretionary fund, allocated on a case by case basis, to mitigate severe financial hardship. |
The Household Support Fund is a small part of what the government is doing as part of the cost of living crisis. For further information on what else is available and to find out more, please visit - https://helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk/
Last reviewed: