20th December 2021
The Household Support Fund (HSF) is a grant that has been awarded to Councils by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to help vulnerable families and households facing financial hardship pay for food, energy and essential living costs this winter.
To help ensure the grant reaches those who need it most we are seeking support from our trusted professional partners to help actively identify and award funds to families facing financial hardship.
From 6 December Children’s Professionals working for partners and schools will be able to carry out basic financial assessments with the families they support to award funds from the grant to hardship. Our Early Help and Safeguarding Teams will also be carrying out this role and assessing families for support from the fund. The grant is available up until the end of March 2022 and each household will be able to access a maximum of 2 awards from the fund before the close date.
Awards from the fund are calculated at £64 for the first adult and £20 each for a partner/spouse and each dependent child under 19. For example, a family of 4 would be awarded £124 per award.
The assessments Children’s Professionals make and submit will be checked and approved by a ‘Early Help Duty Team’ before payments are processed and awarded to the family. Further information about the fund and guidance on how to carry out an assessment is available here. Please ensure you read the guidance before making and submitting an assessment.
Assessments should be submitted using this form: https://forms.office.com/r/w639gUjxsA
Support and further information
HSF Teams Channel: we have set up a Microsoft Teams site that can be accessed by both Derbyshire County Council staff and external partner organisations. If you’d like you join the Team please email CS.HSFDuty@derbyshire.gov.uk and request to be added to the Team. In the channel you will find guidance, a link to the form, resources and a Q&A channel.
Webinar / Q&A Sessions: We are hosting 2 online sessions for external Children’s Professionals where you will be able to find out more information and ask any questions. Dates:
• Thursday 13 Jan 2022 at 10am
• Thursday 20 Jan 2022 at 10am
You can join by clicking on the links above on the day or you can email CS.HSFDuty@derbyshire.gov.uk to request a calendar invite.
Email: If you have any specific questions that the guidance doesn’t answer, please get in touch using the above email address.
Thank you for your support, Derbyshire County Council, Children’s Services, Early Help
Household Support Fund
Childrens Professionals Route
Information for schools, nurseries, children’s health services, voluntary sector organisations and other partner agencies