Household Support Fund
We know that many people in the district are struggling with the rising costs of living.
Bradford Council has been allocated funding from the government’s Household Support Fund to help residents who would otherwise struggle to buy food, keep their home warm, pay essential utility bills or meet other essential living costs.
On this page:
- Household Support Fund
- Supporting foodbanks and organisations that help people in need of food
- Supporting Welcoming Spaces
- Emergency fuel help
- Essential household goods
- Helping carers
- Supporting the Warm Homes, Healthy People service
- Supporting child safe sleeping
- Helping low-income households with energy and food needs
- Additional help
Household Support Fund
The government has provided Household Support Funding to local authorities.
Having consulted with local organisations about how best to help people in Bradford District, we have chosen to spend the money in the following ways:
Supporting foodbanks and organisations that help people in need of food
We are providing funding to support local food banks and voluntary and community organisations that support people in need of food.
Anyone in immediate need of emergency food, or low cost food should look at the Bradford Foodbanks website for information on what is available nearby. You can search the website using your postcode.
Some foodbanks and food pantries allow you to refer yourself, others ask for a referral from an organisation that is helping you already, for example a community group, your GP or children’s school. All this information is on the Foodbanks website.
Here is a list of voluntary organisations who have been funded to provide emergency food assistance.
Supporting Welcoming Spaces
We are providing grants of £500 or £1000 to community and faith organisations to provide access to a warm and welcoming space for local people, right through the year.
We have also allocated money to our libraries and museums that are offering warm and welcoming spaces to help with the cost of providing drinks.
Learn more and find your nearest Welcoming Space.
Emergency fuel help
We have a limited fund that may be able to provide emergency help with prepayment fuel meter top ups.
If you have a prepayment meter, please ensure you have contacted your energy supplier to see if they can help. This information from Citizens Advice may be useful.
If you still need help and you are in receipt of one of the following benefits, please contact one of our partner advice services who can offer advice and help:
- Universal Credit
- Income based JSA
- Income related ESA
- Income Support
- Pension Credits
- Tax Credits
Advice Services:
- Girlington Advice Centre (BD8)
- Windhill Community Centre
- Family Action (BD5)
- Bradford Food Bank
- CHAS
If you pay for your fuel on a normal meter (one that lets you pay for energy after you use it rather than before) you should contact your fuel supplier to ask for help.
See what help has been made available for energy costs.
Essential household goods
The council’s Assisted Purchase Scheme is a low cost solution for people to buy essential items such as beds, electric cookers, fridge freezers, microwaves and washing machines.
Apply for the Assisted Purchase Scheme.
Helping carers
We are working with Carers’ Resource to support unpaid carers in the most need with food costs and other related needs.
Supporting the Warm Homes, Healthy People service
We are giving additional funds to the Warm Homes Healthy People Service which works with people who are vulnerable to illness as a result of cold, damp housing conditions by providing energy saving advice and measures to help reduce bills, and helping with heating system repairs.
Supporting child safe sleeping
We are funding a voluntary organisation so they can provide beds, bedding and safety equipment to families in need, with new babies or young children. This is by professional referral only.
Helping low-income households with energy and food costs
Payments have already been made to households in receipt of Council Tax Reduction (a reduction in the amount of Council Tax to pay due to low income). Eligible households received a payment of £50. Any households that have children on their Council Tax Reduction claim, were given an additional payment of £15 per child. More information about additional funding will be available soon (as of September 2024).
There is no application process for these payments. We will work out from our records who qualifies and send the money automatically.
Learn more about Council Tax Reduction.
Additional help
Find advice, guidance and tips on the Cost of Living Bradford website.
Check the Help for Households website for the Government's full range of Cost of Living Support.