UK households on a low income will be handed a £120 cost of living payment from next week to help cover energy and food costs.
The cash boost comes as part of the government’s Household Support Fund which provides local councils across England with a share of a funding pot worth £742 million. The fund is to help vulnerable homes pay for essential living costs over the winter months, including energy bills, food and other essentials. The funding is allocated from now until March 31, 2026, and local councils independently decide how to share the cash, so there may be different eligibility criteria depending on where you live. In West Yorkshire, Leeds City Council has confirmed it will be making payments of up to £120 to eligible households in Leeds from Monday, October 13.
To be eligible, households must be receiving Council Tax Support and will receive a payment of either £120 if they have dependent children, or £55 if they don’t. The payment will be made via a Post Office voucher and will be issued to all eligible households by the end of November.
Leeds City Council said: “A payment by Post Office voucher will be made to people in receipt of Council Tax Support living in Leeds. Claimants must be in receipt of Council Tax Support on 13 October 2025 to qualify for an award.
“The payment will be either £120 to claimants with dependent children or £55 to claimants without dependent children. The award will be based on information held on the Council Tax Support claim. These payments will be made by the end of November 2025, and we will be in direct contact with anyone who is eligible.
“Additional funding will be available to residents who need emergency support with the costs of food, energy or household items. Residents can contact the Local Welfare Support Scheme on 0113 376 0330.”
As Household Support Fund cash is distributed independently by local councils in England, it means that the cost of living support available will vary by location, with different vouchers or grants up for grabs up and down the country.
The payments may also be issued at different times depending on where you live, so it’s possible for some to receive the support in time for Christmas, while others may have a longer wait.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) says there may also be differences in who the money is given to and if or how you need to apply for the support, as some local councils opt to share the money out through local charities and community groups, while some limit household applications to one per year.
For example, households in Staffordshire can get a one off £300 utility payment made direct to their utility provider via the scheme, while residents in Calderdale can get a maximum of two payments of £85, amounting to £170 worth of support in total.
Doncaster Council will pay eligible households up to £300 towards food costs, while other households can qualify for a £100 payment to go towards energy bills.
Elsewhere, households in Nottingham can get energy vouchers worth £98 and supermarket vouchers worth £75, amounting to £173 worth of support, and residents in Manchester receiving Council Tax support and a disability benefit can get £130.
