Household Support Fund - a vital resource assisting Tameside residents in need

SUPPORT continues to be available to provide essential aid to Tameside residents in need.

The Household Support Fund is a grant provided by Government in response the rising cost of living to low income households experiencing financial hardship.

Further funding has been agreed for 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 to support households most in need, particularly those not eligible for Cost of Living Payments.

70% of the funding has been allocated to support low income families with children and young people with the majority dispersed to families with children eligible for free school meals during the school holiday periods.

The remaining available fund is being targeted at residents in financial need who have not received the recent £301 Cost of Living Payment, unless in exceptional circumstances.  Further information on the eligibility criteria can be found at www.tameside.gov.uk/householdsupportfund.

Residents seeking assistance are required to make an appointment to discuss the support available to them. To book an appointment, they can contact the Household Support Fund team at householdsupportfund@tameside.gov.uk, telephone 0161 342 8355 or visit reception in Tameside One, Ashton-under-Lyne.

Cllr Eleanor Wills, Tameside Council’s Executive Member for Population Health and Wellbeing said: "The Household Support Fund has been a crucial lifeline for many Tameside residents since its inception in 2021. The ongoing availability of the fund underscores our shared responsibility to help those who might otherwise face economic challenges without suitable aid avenues. Eligible households are encouraged to apply to the fund if they are experiencing financial hardship due to the rising cost of living pressures.”

As well as the Household Support Fund, Tameside Council offers other support services to residents in immediate need. Helping Hand Tameside can help residents find local support services, providing financial, wellbeing, and benefit support in Tameside. For more information, please visit the website https://www.tameside.gov.uk/helpinghand.