Thousands of households eligible for free £250 one-off payment - how to apply

The money is being issued by North East Lincolnshire Council as part of the Household Support Fund, which is a scheme that allows local councils to award specific help to residents

Thousands of struggling households may be eligible for a free £250 payment to help with the rising cost of bills.

The money is being issued by North East Lincolnshire Council as part of the Household Support Fund. The Household Support Fund is a scheme that allows local councils to award specific help to residents who are behind on bills, or on low incomes.

It is down to each local authority to decide what support to give, and who gets it, which means many households face a postcode lottery when it comes to what help is available. The help normally comes in the form of one-off cash payments that don't need to be paid back, or vouchers for food or energy.

In order to receive help from North East Lincolnshire Council, you need to have an income of less than £20,000 and savings of less than £500, and be struggling to afford essentials such as food, utility bills and other basic items. This can include broadband or phone bills, clothing, and essential transport costs.

You will need to share your bank account details to prove your income. The scheme will run to 30 September 2024, or until funding has been fully spent. If you think you're eligible, you can apply for the funding through one of these partner websites:

• Centre 4 Community – Connect NE
• Foresight North East Lincolnshire
• Creating Positive Opportunity
• NAViGO (for NAViGO service users only)
• Lincolnshire Housing Partnership (for LHP residents only)
• Oasis (for families with children at Oasis schools only)

A message on the North East Lincolnshire website reads: "This funding is only a short-term solution put in place by the government, so it’s important that anyone who is struggling gets in touch with local services so they can access longer-term support. This could include help with budgeting, debt management, home energy efficiencies and other support to help maximise income and reduce bills."

If you're not a Lincolnshire resident, it is worth checking the website of your local council to see what help it could potentially offer you. For example, Canterbury City Council is offering struggling residents £250 if they can't afford to pay their bills, while Hastings Borough Council is offering one-off payments of £150 to households.

Camden Council residents may be eligible for help worth £500 this winter. The Household Support Fund was due to end on September 30, 2024 but it has been extended for an additional six months, costing a total of £421million. The Household Support Fund was due to end on September 30, 2024 - but it has been extended again for a further six months.

The next round of the Household Support Fund will be worth £421million in England and will run until the end of March next year.