Household Support Fund

To find out now if you’re eligible for a Household Support Fund e-voucher payment, you can use our online checker. If you are eligible, you can find out how much you will get and access your voucher. You’ll need your national insurance number, date of birth and postcode to use the eligibility checker.

Check your eligibility

The following groups will receive a single e-voucher in the amounts below.

• If you were getting housing benefit on or between 26 January 2023 and 25 February 2023, but did not qualify for the cost of living payment made in April and May 2023 for people on low income benefits or tax credits, you will receive a single e-voucher for £450. The cost of living payment was paid to people getting Universal Credit, Income Support, Pension Credit, income-based Jobseekers Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit.
• If you were getting the maximum discount to pay your council tax bill through the means-tested Council Tax Reduction Scheme as of 14 August 2023 you will receive a single e-voucher for £110.

You will not be eligible for the Household Support Fund if you only get the 25% single person council tax discount for households where only one adult is living in the property. You must be getting the maximum discount under the  means-tested Council Tax Reduction Scheme to be eligible for the Household Support Fund.

For this fourth phase of the Household Support Fund, the eligibility criteria has been updated based on guidance from the Department for Work and Pensions so that we can help people across North Yorkshire who have missed out on other support from the Government as well as other households in need. Because the guidance has changed, you might have received a payment as part of a previous phase of the Household Support Fund and not this time. For example, if you’re not getting the maximum discount to help pay your council tax bill through the means-tested Council Tax Reduction Scheme you won’t be eligible. You’ll find information on this page about other sources of support.

We know that other people could have missed out on the Government cost of living payment made in April and May 2023. If that’s the case, we might be able to help through our exceptional circumstances fund. We have set up an application process to run between 11 September 2023 and 24 October 2023. If you meet the exceptional circumstances criteria set out below, you can apply for a supermarket e-voucher for one of seven supermarkets. The supermarkets are Aldi, ASDA, Farmfoods, Iceland, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Tesco. Only ASDA and Sainsbury’s offer both in-store and online shopping.

The exceptional circumstances fund criteria is:

• If your household did not receive a low income benefit or tax credit cost of living payment from the Department for Work and Pensions in April and May 2023 for reasons outside of your control, such as housing benefit processing delays or temporarily falling out of benefit during the eligibility window (26 January 2023 to 25 February 2023). In this case, you could apply for a £450 supermarket e-voucher. If you have already received a £110 supermarket e-voucher through the Household Support Fund because you were getting maximum council tax reduction as of 14 August 2023, you will only receive a £340 supermarket e-voucher if your application is successful. 
• If your household was not on our records as being in receipt of maximum council tax reduction on 14 August 2023 due to circumstances outside of your control, for example moving house around the eligibility cut-off date, or delays to processing your maximum council tax reduction claim which were outside of your control. In this case, you could apply for a £110 supermarket e-voucher. If you have already received a £450 supermarket e-voucher through the Household Support Fund, you will not be eligible for an additional £110 e-voucher.

If you meet the above criteria, you can talk to a member of our customer service centre team who will progress the application on your behalf.

You can call our customer service centre Household Support Fund line on 0300 131 2 131 Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 4:30pm, asking for ‘Household Support Fund’ when prompted. If you’d prefer to contact us by email you can fill in a contact form.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide evidence that you meet the exceptional circumstances eligibility criteria. Applications will only be considered if households meet the criteria above. Any decision will be final and there is no right to appeal.

If you do not meet the exceptional circumstances criteria, there is further information about support available on our cost of living page.

If you live with someone else who isn’t your partner and you are jointly liable for paying council tax, provided that you both meet the Household Support Fund eligibility criteria then you will both get an e-voucher payment. The amount will depend on your circumstances, as set out in the ‘Can I check if I’m eligible’ answer.

The Household Support Fund e-voucher amount will be the same regardless of how many children you have.

We have followed guidance issued by the Department for Work and Pensions, which sets out how councils should deliver the Household Support Fund, to decide on amounts and eligibility criteria for the direct payments. This includes helping people who missed out on the Government cost of living payments and others who may be struggling with the increase in living costs and feeling the financial pressure of paying their bills.

To meet the eligibility criteria for a Household Support Fund payment of £450 people need to have been getting housing benefit on or between 26 January 2023 and 25 February 2023, but not qualify for the cost of living payment made in April and May 2023 for people on low income benefits or tax credits. The cost of living payment was paid to people getting Universal Credit, Income Support, Pension Credit, income-based Jobseekers Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit.

The Household Support Fund is not a direct replacement for the cost of living payment and these are two different schemes, however we have tried to match the total amount. People who are eligible for a cost of living payment are entitled to up to three instalments of £301, £300 and £299 if they get certain benefits or tax credits on certain dates. The three payments total £900. Because of the timescale the Department for Work and Pensions have given us to deliver the fourth phase of the Household Support Fund direct payment in North Yorkshire, this will be made across two payments of £450. People who receive a first Household Support Fund payment of £450 will not necessarily get a second payment if they no longer meet the eligibility criteria. We expect the second payment to be paid in early 2024.

Find out more about our decision making process for the fourth phase of the Household Support Fund.

If you are eligible because you meet the criteria set out on this page you will get a letter from us by 22 September. The letter will tell you how to claim and use your Household Support Fund e-voucher payment.

To claim your e-voucher you will need access to an email account.

When you receive your letter, you can claim your e-voucher online by entering your personalised code here:

Enter your code to select your vouchers here

Then follow the three easy steps below.

1. Select the supermarket you would like to shop with. You can choose from more than one supermarket to split your e-voucher and you will need to select vouchers to the full amount. Then enter your name and email address to check out. Once you’ve redeemed your vouchers, you won’t be able to change the supermarket later on.
2. Look out for your e-voucher in your email inbox. It could take up to 72 hours for your email to arrive. Remember to check your spam folder.
3. Get your voucher by email and go shopping using your smartphone, or with a printed voucher if you prefer. You don’t need to spend your voucher all in one go. If you do use a printed voucher, please look after it the same as you would money.

Don’t worry if you’re not confident with technology or you don’t have an email address. If you have friends or family who might be able to help you claim and use your e-voucher, or print it if you prefer, please ask them to look at your letter with you.

You could also take your Household Support Fund letter into your local library or some council offices. You can find a list of council offices below and see details for North Yorkshire libraries. A member of the team at any of these venues will be able to help you claim your e-voucher free of charge. They can also help you print it if you would prefer a printed version.

If you do need help from a library or council office please bring your letter and one of the following items of ID: 

• credit or debit card 
• bank or building society cheque/savings book 
• valid passport 
• driving licence
• NHS medical card 
• photo ID card (foreign national, military, police warrant, Royal Mail employee, NHS or senior citizen bus pass)

There may be times when the team at your local library or council office are very busy when you visit and you might need to wait or call back at another time if you’re in a hurry. Thank you for your patience.

Addresses for council offices where you can get help in person are:

Harrogate office

Civic Centre
St Lukes Avenue
Harrogate
HG1 2AE

Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am to 4:30pm

Wednesday 9:30am to 4:30pm

Closed Saturday and Sunday

Malton office

Ryedale House
Old Malton Road
Malton
YO17 7HH

Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am to 4:30pm

Wednesday 9:30am to 4:30pm

Closed Saturday and Sunday

Northallerton office

Civic Centre
Stone Cross
Rotary Way
Northallerton
DL6 2UU

Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am to 4:30pm

Wednesday 9:30am to 4:30pm

Closed Saturday and Sunday

Richmond office

Mercury House
Station Road
Richmond
North Yorkshire
DL10 4JX

Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am to 4:30pm

Wednesday 9:30am to 4:30pm

Closed Saturday and Sunday

Scarborough office

Town Hall
St Nicholas Street
Scarborough
YO11 2HG

Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am to 4:30pm

Wednesday 9:30am to 4:30pm

Closed Saturday and Sunday

Selby office

Civic Centre
Selby
YO8 9FT

Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am to 4:30pm

Wednesday 9:30am to 4:30pm

Closed Saturday and Sunday

Skipton office

1 Belle Vue Square
Broughton Road
Skipton
BD23 1FJ

Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am to 4:30pm

Wednesday 9:30am to 4:30pm

Closed Saturday and Sunday

Whitby office

Whitby Jobcentre Plus Office
6 Bobbies Bank
Whitby
YO21 1QZ

Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am to 4pm (closed 12 midday to 1pm)

Wednesday 10am to 4pm (closed 12 midday to 1pm)

Closed Saturday and Sunday

If you have any concerns about the Household Support Fund and you’re not sure who to turn to, you can call our customer service centre Household Support Fund line on 0300 131 2 131 Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 4:30pm asking for ‘Household Support Fund’ when prompted. If you’d prefer to contact us by email you can fill in a contact form.

You must select your e-voucher by 24 October 2023.

If you’ve lost your letter and don’t know your voucher code, you can access it online by using the eligibility checker.

Check your eligibility

You’ll need your national insurance number, date of birth and postcode to use the eligibility checker.

If you need help you can call our customer service centre Household Support Fund line on 0300 131 2 131 Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 4:30pm, asking for ‘Household Support Fund’ when prompted. If you’d prefer to contact us by email you can fill in a contact form.

Everyone who is eligible will receive a letter by 22 September.

If you haven’t had a letter and you think you’re eligible, you can use our eligibility checker.

Check your eligibility

You’ll need your national insurance number, date of birth and postcode to use the eligibility checker.

We’ve been working alongside colleagues in our revenues and benefits team to identify people who match the eligibility criteria and will be able to claim their payment from this funding. The Department for Work and Pensions have given us discretion to use existing benefits data to make sure that the funding goes to people who qualify. For more information on how we process your personal data, go to privacy notices.

To find out if you’re eligible for a Household Support Fund e-voucher payment, you can use our online eligibility checker. If you are eligible, you can find out how much you will get and access your voucher. You’ll need your national insurance number, date of birth and postcode to use the eligibility checker.

If you’ve recently moved house and you think you should be eligible for the Household Support Fund, you can contact us by calling our customer service centre Household Support Fund line on 0300 131 2 131 Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 4:30pm, asking for ‘Household Support Fund’ when prompted. If you’d prefer to contact us by email you can fill in a contact form.

If you have a smartphone you can use the camera to scan the personalised QR code in your letter. Scanning the QR code with your smartphone camera will take you straight to the right page and you won’t need to type in your code. You don’t need to download an App.

The team at Veritau, our anti-fraud company, may check Household Support Fund claims to make sure they are all genuine. This might include national and local data matching which helps to detect and prevent crime.

An e-voucher can be used in a store or when shopping online with some supermarkets. Some people prefer to use a printed version, but an e-voucher can be sent on email to use on a smartphone. When you use your voucher, nobody in the supermarket will know that you are eligible for the Household Support Fund. It will just be like any other voucher gift card. E-vouchers are sometimes known as a virtual gift card. You can find more information about the terms and conditions of each of the supermarkets involved on the voucher provider website. If you would prefer a printed version, please see the ‘Can I get a printed voucher if I don’t have online access’ question below.

Payments will be made as an e-voucher, and you’ll be able to choose from nine different supermarkets. The supermarkets involved are:

• Aldi
• ASDA
• Farmfoods
• Iceland
• Marks and Spencer
• Morrisons
• Sainsbury’s
• Tesco
• Waitrose

Only ASDA, Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose offer both in-store and online shopping. You can find more information about the terms and conditions of each of the supermarkets involved on the voucher provider website.

You can use your e-vouchers to pay for food and other essentials. Vouchers cannot be used to pay for fuel, scratch cards/lottery tickets, tobacco products or pre-paid gift cards. Each supermarket has different exemptions, you can find more information about the terms and conditions of each of the supermarkets involved on the voucher provider website.

You can choose to split your e-voucher across one or all nine of the supermarkets involved in the scheme, however, once you’ve made your selection you won’t be able to make any changes.

The e-voucher should be used by the person named in the Household Support Fund letter.

You don’t need to spend your e-voucher all in one go, but you’ll need to select which supermarkets you would like to spend your e-voucher with. After you’ve decided which supermarkets you would like to spend your e-vouchers with, you won’t be able to change this later on. Each supermarket involved in the scheme will have different terms and conditions for using their e-vouchers. You can find more information about the terms and conditions of each of the supermarkets involved on the voucher provider website.

There are four supermarkets offering the option of online shopping with delivery. ASDA, Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose. You’ll be able to choose a supermarket that suits your needs when you select your e-vouchers.

If you don’t have any of these supermarkets near to where you live and friends or family can’t help, please call our customer service centre Household Support Fund line on 0300 131 2 131 Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 4:30pm asking for ‘Household Support Fund’ when prompted. If you’d prefer to contact us by email you can fill in a contact form.

You can check your balance online and over the phone, depending on which supermarket you select for your e-vouchers. You can find more information about the terms and conditions of each of the supermarkets involved on the voucher provider website.

You’ll have until 24 October 2023 to select your e-voucher choices and depending on which supermarket you choose will depend on how long you have to use your e-vouchers. You can find more information about the terms and conditions of each of the supermarkets involved on the voucher provider website.

Your e-vouchers will be sent to the email address you provide, but if you can’t see them in your inbox please check your junk folder. If you still can’t find the voucher email 72 hours after the order was placed, you can call the voucher provider, Hawk Select, on 0800 5872294 seven days a week. Find other ways to contact Hawk Select, including email. If you do need to get in touch with Hawk Select, someone from their customer service team will get back to you within 24 hours. You can also contact Hawk Select if your e-voucher doesn’t work.

If you’d prefer to use a printed voucher and you don’t have online access, you could also ask a family member or friend to help.

You can also take your Household Support Fund letter into your local library or some council offices. Please also bring one of the following items of ID:

• credit or debit card 
• bank or building society cheque/savings book 
• valid passport 
• driving licence
• NHS medical card 
• photo ID card (foreign national, military, police warrant, Royal Mail employee, NHS or senior citizen bus pass)

You can find a list of council offices below. A member of the team at any of these venues will be able to help you claim and print your e-voucher free of charge.

There may be times when the team at your local library or council office are very busy when you visit, and you might need to wait or call back at another time if you’re in a hurry. Thank you for your patience.

Addresses for council offices where you can get help in person are:

Harrogate office

Civic Centre
St Lukes Avenue
Harrogate
HG1 2AE

Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am to 4:30pm

Wednesday 9:30am to 4:30pm

Closed Saturday and Sunday

Malton office

Ryedale House Old Malton Road
Malton
YO17 7HH

Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am to 4:30pm

Wednesday 9:30am to 4:30pm

Closed Saturday and Sunday

Northallerton office

Civic Centre
Stone Cross
Rotary Way
Northallerton
DL6 2UU

Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am to 4:30pm

Wednesday 9:30am to 4:30pm

Closed Saturday and Sunday

Richmond office

Mercury House
Station Road
Richmond
North Yorkshire
DL10 4JX

Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am to 4:30pm

Wednesday 9:30am to 4:30pm

Closed Saturday and Sunday

Scarborough office

Town Hall
St Nicholas Street
Scarborough
YO11 2HG

Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am to 4:30pm

Wednesday 9:30am to 4:30pm

Closed Saturday and Sunday

Selby office

Civic Centre
Selby
YO8 9FT

Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am to 4:30pm

Wednesday 9:30am to 4:30pm

Closed Saturday and Sunday

Skipton office

1 Belle Vue Square
Broughton Road
Skipton
BD23 1FJ

Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am to 4:30pm

Wednesday 9:30am to 4:30pm

Closed Saturday and Sunday

Whitby office

Whitby Jobcentre Plus Office
6 Bobbies Bank
Whitby
YO21 1QZ

Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am to 4pm (closed 12 midday to 1pm)

Wednesday 10am to 4pm (closed 12 midday to 1pm)

Closed Saturday and Sunday

Please look after your voucher in the same way you would money. If you do lose your printed voucher and you redeemed it using your own email address, you will be able to get your original voucher from your inbox. If you got help to redeem your voucher from a library or council office, you can call our customer service centre Household Support Fund line on 0300 131 2 131 Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 4:30pm asking for ‘Household Support Fund’ when prompted. If you’d prefer to contact us by email you can fill in a contact form.

The remainder of the money from the Government has been distributed among other funding pots in the county, which can be accessed now by residents who may struggle to afford basic necessities.

You may be able to get other financial support through schemes such as the North Yorkshire Local Assistance Fund (NYLAF) and a fund managed by North Yorkshire Citizens Advice and Law Centre that helps people struggling to pay their energy bills.

You’ll find more information about support schemes and organisations which may be able to help on our cost of living support page.

This includes advice on money, debt, benefit entitlement, free school meals and childcare costs as well as information about free Wi-Fi, digital support, travel and transport. The page also has information about energy saving, foodbanks and community-based support including Warm Welcome Spaces and local schemes depending on where you live. You can also call us on 0300 131 2 131 Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 4:30pm.

North Yorkshire Citizen’s Advice and Law Centre provide free, confidential and impartial advice to help people find a way forward with whatever problems they face, including money and benefits. You can get advice in person, over the phone, on a web chat or by email by contacting North Yorkshire Citizen’s Advice and Law Centre direct.

If you’re on a low income or claim benefits you can apply for a reduction in the council tax you pay.

You will need to be getting means-tested support to pay your council tax bill through the Council Tax Reduction Scheme as of 14 August 2023 to be eligible for the Household Support Fund.

You can still apply to the North Yorkshire Local Assistance Fund even if you’ve received a Household Support Fund e-voucher payment. Find out about North Yorkshire Local Assistance Fund (NYLAF)