The Household Support Fund guidance stated that money received by councils must help households in need and target households that were not previously eligible for support.

Sandwell Council is giving every household that was receiving Housing Benefit as of 1 April 2023 that was not eligible for the Cost of Living payment issued by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) a payment:

• £900 - for working age people who receive housing benefit but are not in receipt of a qualifying benefit
• £600 - for pensioners who get a Council Tax Reduction and will receive a Winter fuel payment of £300 but don't receive pension credit
• £450 - for pensioners who get a Council Tax Reduction and will receive £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment and £300 winter fuel payment but don't receive Pension Credit

These payments will be received in two instalments:

• One payment between April 2023 and September 2023
• One payment between October 2023 and March 2024

A letter will be sent to around 2,700 residents. If you receive this letter, please take it to any Post Office and you will receive a cash payment, depending on the amount you are entitled to. The amount will be shown on the letter.

There’s no need to apply for the other Household Support Funding mentioned above – payments will be made automatically to eligible households.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Can someone collect the payment on my behalf?

A: Yes. If you are unable to get to a Post Office, your carer or someone you have given permission to can collect the payment on your behalf. To do this you will need to provide them with a signed letter of consent to collect the payment on your behalf.

They must also take official ID for themselves and a piece of official identification for the person they are claiming on behalf of. Official identification can be one of the following:

• Your Council Tax bill or Council Tax Reduction letter, or;
•  A utility bill (an electricity bill, gas bill or telephone bill that must show your name and your current address), or;
• Your driving licence.

If you are collecting on someone else's behalf, you must have your own form of ID and a piece of ID for the person who you are collecting the payment for as well as a letter saying they consent to you collecting the payment for them.

Q: Do I have to cash the voucher in full as I do not wish to carry this amount of cash around with me?

A: Yes. You will have to cash the voucher in one payment. If you take your bank card with you to the Post Office, they can make a payment directly into your bank account for all or part of the money for the majority of banks, so you do not have to carry the physical cash with you.

Q:  Is there an expiry date on the letter?

A:  Yes, the money must be collected within three months of the date on the letter. 

Q:  What if I have lost or damaged my letter? 

A:  You will need to report this by contacting the benefits team. You can also call the benefits team on 0121 368 1155. If you contact us to say you have lost or damaged the letter, we will check if the payment has already been claimed. If the payment has not been claimed, we will cancel the old voucher and issue you with a new one which we'll send in the post.

Q:  Do I have to pay this money back?

A:  No. This is a one-off payment to help with cost of living.