YORK residents hoping to get help with bills have just a few days left to apply for a discretionary cash grant.

The government announced on 26 May 2022 that additional funding will be provided for a new Household Support Fund 3 (HSF 3) for financially vulnerable families.

The aim is that the HSF 3 should primarily be used to support households in the most need with food, energy and water bills.

York Council approved the scheme in November 2022.

There are 2 routes to apply for the new Household Support Fund 3 (HSF 3):

if you received a letter saying you are eligible for the HSF 3, you should have made an invitation application;

if you have not received an invitation letter and are struggling to meet your household bills, you should make a discretionary application.

The first route closed on January 19 - and time is running out for people to lodge a discretionary application.

The discretionary HSF 3 will close at midnight on Friday 31 March.

This application involves a standard means test around your current circumstances and the assistance needed to pay essential bills.

The council needs to establish why you are applying for financial support. To assess your application it needs to ask you about your personal circumstances in depth to make sure that you are seeking all necessary support.

It is vital you collect the following information beforehand, as you may get timed out if you spend more than 10 minutes on a single page of the form.

We will need to ask you for information and evidence:

the award letter for a child in receipt of High level DLA

evidence that you meet the criteria as

your household includes a child or children or,

you're a person in need of additional support

your household details

your household income, savings, and expenditure, including

earnings (including your partners if applicable)

DWP benefits

any other income

your capital, including

readily available funds - cash in hand, in the bank or building society accounts

shares or bonds owned

your household expenditure, including

council tax

rent or mortgage

household bills, such as gas, electricity, water

personal bills, such as telephone, travel costs, clothing

Child Support or maintenance payments

school meals

outstanding debts and arrears, including

rent arrears

mortgage arrears

council tax arrears

unpaid bills

other fuel costs

credit/store cards/catalogue debts/loans.

P

ayments will be made depending on family size or according to any other essentials which will be assessed on a discretionary basis.

If applicants don't have access to the internet or need help making an application online, our customer service team can complete the online application over the phone on the applicant's behalf by calling telephone: 01904 551550.