Criteria for applicants
For funding during 1 October 2024 to 31 March 2025 the following criteria applies.
Some of the funding is set aside for applicants who come directly to the council for assistance.
The funds are available until the 31 March 2025. We, the council, cannot commit to applications made once all the available funding has been allocated.
For your application to be accepted you must not have received a Household Support Fund award within the last 6 months. You can only apply once within the funding period.
If you meet any of the following criteria, apply:
- be aged 16 or over and be the responsible person for the household
- be able to show they meet one of the following:
- have a settled residence in Slough, or
- have been placed outside of the borough by the council
- in the case of someone leaving prison (must have been in prison for at least 6 months) or
- in care (must have been in the care of Slough Borough Council only)
- about to move into Slough; those that have been placed in Slough by another borough must apply to their originating borough.
- not have savings that can be relied upon to meet the need to which they are presenting
- have a reduction in income, for example the transition period of earning and claiming welfare benefits
- have not received, or be able/eligible to receive help from other public funds for the same category
- be without sufficient resources which would in turn cause serious risk to their own, or their family’s health or safety or wellbeing
- be an individual who has no recourse to the public fund. Please note the rules around immigration status have not changed. We will use our judgement to decide what legal powers and funding can be used to support people who are ineligible for public funds or statutory housing assistance.
We will make sure any awards given are used for the purpose it was applied for. Most of the award will be given in goods or services by online vouchers. We will award:
- food vouchers
- vouchers for essential goods (where there are mitigating circumstances) and
- assistance with fuel payments
- housing costs under certain conditions.
In deciding whether to make a Housing Support Fund award we will have regard to the applicant’s circumstances including:
- whether the household has received an award previously. Please note you can only be awarded Household Support funds once within this period (October 2024-March 2025).
- any help which is likely to be available from other funds, such as Short Term Advances
- whether the children in the household receive free school meals
- Budgeting Loans, Budgeting Advances and Advance Payments issued by the Department for Work and Pensions
- the income and expenditure of the applicant, any partner, their dependants and other occupiers of their household
- the level of indebtedness of the applicant and their family
- any medical issues, or other exceptional needs, of the applicant, partner or dependants, or other members of their household
- being mindful of the amount available in the Housing Support Fund budget
- any other special circumstance of which we are aware.