£200 cost of living payments entering bank accounts for next four months until March 2025

Households struggling with bills in Birmingham can apply for 'hardship grants' worth £200 after a new round of applications opened. The UK government has set aside money to local authorities across the country for residents who need help paying for basic necessities like food, energy bills and essential supplies.

The money is being delivered as part of the Households Support Fund (HSF) via the Government's Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Last month, the DWP announced that the HSF has been extended from October 2024 until March 2025.

In Birmingham, that means a new round of applications for the funding has opened. Residents living in the city can apply for the £200 cost-of-living payments online.

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Requests for this payment, which is known as hardship grants, opened this month in November and will remain open until March 31 next year. In order to be eligible, the city council said applicants must be a Birmingham resident, experiencing financial hardship - particularly with covering costs linked to food and energy - and not have received a £200 grant payment in the past 12 months.

Successful applicants will receive payments enter directly into their bank accounts. A spokesperson for Birmingham City Council said: "Hardship payments are intended to help households with everyday household essentials such as energy and food, with grant payments of up to £200 per household. Receiving a grant from this fund will not impact any other benefits you may be receiving or may be entitled to. Hardship grant requests will open again from November 2024 until 31 March 2025."

In order to apply, residents need to fill out an expression of interest form which can be done on the council's website here. People can also express their interest by calling the council via telephone on 0121 634 7100 - but the local authority recommended residents filling out the form as online enquiries are processed more quickly, it said.