The Household Support Fund (and it’s predecessor, the “Covid Crisis Fund”) has been providing vital, additional support to vulnerable residents, for the past five years.

Through partnerships with Halton, Sefton, and Wirral Councils, each year we’ve been able to access funding to provide such support as emergency fuel vouchers, payments towards Direct Debit payments, fuel debt relief, and heating repairs.

To refer a client to us for any of these, or other services, see our Referrals webpage here: www.epplus.org.uk/referrals

Current Offer

We’re pleased to confirm we’re launching our support for Halton and Sefton residents.

Halton

“Direct Debit Support”

• Financial support to help residents who don’t use prepay meters, and therefore can’t take advantage of fuel vouchers designed to support people at risk of self-disconnection.
• Residents can pay by any other means, e.g. Standing Order, Budgeting Card, or cash.
• Residents must be low-income and vulnerable to the impact of living in a cold home.
• Upon successful application, Energy Projects Plus will process a payment directly to the resident’s energy supplier, to be credited to their account.
• The value of payments is based on household composition.

Heating repair/replacement

• To support residents who have no other recourse to financial assistance to help with the repair or replacement of their primary heating appliance.
• Residents must be in a “no-heat situation” (i.e. without support would be living in a cold home with no means to keep warm).
• Residents must be on a low-income and vulnerable to the impacts of living in a cold home.
• Upon successful application, Energy Projects Plus will support the resident to obtain a quote for necessary works, and offer a financial contribution, which could fully or part-pay for the works to be carried out.
• All payments will be made directly to a Gas Safe Registered heating contractor, upon satisfactory completion of works.

Sefton

“Direct Debit Support”

• Financial support to help residents who don’t use prepay meters, and therefore can’t take advantage of fuel vouchers designed to support people at risk of self-disconnection.
• Residents can pay by any other means, e.g. Standing Order, Budgeting Card, or cash.
• Residents must be low-income and vulnerable to the impact of living in a cold home.
• Upon successful application, Energy Projects Plus will process a payment directly to the resident’s energy supplier, to be credited to their account.
• The value of payments is the equivalent of one month’s worth of energy payments.

Fuel debt relief

• Residents must be low-income and vulnerable to the impact of living in a cold home.
• Upon successful application, Energy Projects Plus will process a payment directly to the resident’s energy supplier, to be credited to their account.
• The value of payments will either fully or partly cover the balance outstanding.
• Residents must be able to cover their ongoing energy costs.

All support is provided on a discretionary basis, with each case assessed on its own merit.

Funding is expected to continue until the end of March 2026, or when funds are exhausted, whichever is sooner.

Coming Soon

Wirral Council is finalising plans for 2025-26, and we hope to provide confirmation of these in next month’s newsletter.

The Future

The Household Support Fund was referenced in the Chancellor’s Spending Review, with a commitment to keep this going, on a multi-year basis, with a rebranding. We’ll share further details as they’re announced.

To refer a client to us for any of these, or other services, see our Referrals webpage here: www.epplus.org.uk/referrals