Household Support Fund for parents/carers

Information and how to apply – please read it carefully BEFORE applying  

We accept applications in weekly batches, and once each week is full, we temporarily close the application form. We then reopen the form at 9:30am on Mondays.

We are pleased to be distributing more funding from the government’s Household Support Fund.  

Who can apply? 

You can apply if ALL the following apply to you: 

• You are a disabled adult or live with a long-term health condition. OR you are a parent or carer of a child who is disabled or live with a long-term condition 
• You are facing serious financial difficulty (please note, this is not an emergency fund) 
• You live in Surrey 

Who cannot apply? 

Please do not apply if ANY of these are true for you: 

• If you do not have a clear need for financial support 
• If you need funding for mortgage payments, repayment of personal debt, or for Council tax payments 
• If you need to buy items that should be provided by NHS or local councils 

What can the money help with? 

• Food 
• Energy supplier bills (Gas, electricity, or water bills) 

You will need to give details of why you need the amount specified and to explain how your disability or health condition affects your living costs. 

Please note that applications saying only “food costs” or “energy bills” without more detail are unlikely to be approved.  

How much money can I apply for? 

You can apply for £300 per household (not per person).  

How will I receive the support? 

• Supermarket vouchers. We can send you a gift card either by post or email for Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Asda, Aldi or Lidl 
• Payment towards your utility bills:  gas, electricity, or water supplier directly 

Please note: 

• Once ordered, the vouchers cannot be changed 
• Tesco vouchers can be redeemed only in stores (cannot be used online) 
• We cannot pay British Gas 
• We cannot pay any prepayment meter or card 

There are some ways we cannot give you support. Please read this carefully. 

Can I get the money paid into my bank account? 

No. We don’t make payments directly to personal bank accounts. 

Can I get cash instead? 

No. We do not give cash out. 

Can I get vouchers for Morrisons? 

No. We cannot offer Morrisons vouchers (they don’t issue the type of gift card we use) 

Can you pay any other business or company for me? 

No. We can only pay certain utility companies. We do not make payments to any other business (for example, landlords, service providers, or furniture shops) 

Can you pay vet bills? 

No.  

If you need help filling the form in, please contact us: 

• Email: hsf@surreycoalition.org.uk
• Tel: 01483 456558
• SMS: 07908671402

How do I know if my application has been submitted successfully? 

After you submit your form, you will receive an automatic confirmation email sent to the email provided on your application form. 

If you do not receive a confirmation email, your application may not have gone through.  

How do I know if my application has been approved? 

You will NOT receive a separate approval message.  

If your application is successful: 

• You will receive your supermarket voucher by email or by post depending on what you chose. 
• If you asked for payment to your energy supplier, the payment will be made directly to them – we will not send you a confirmation. Please wait 8 weeks and keep your eye on your account before contacting us.  

When will I receive the support? 

Please note that this is NOT an emergency fund, and we will not be able to respond quickly.  

It might take up to 8 weeks to process your application and make a payment. 

We appreciate your patience while we process applications as soon as we can.  

Important information—please read: 

We receive a high number of applications.  

To help us process yours as quickly as possible, we kindly ask that you only contact us if absolutely necessary. 

We will be in touch if we need more information or if your application is unsuccessful.  

If you don’t hear from us, your application is either still being reviewed, or your voucher is already on its way to you. 

We have only a limited amount of funding. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Once all the money has been allocated, we will not be able to offer any more support – even if you qualify. 

We accept applications in weekly batches, and once each week is full, we will temporarily close the application form. We will then reopen the application form at 9:30am on Mondays.   

Fraud Prevention Policy 

We are committed to making sure this fund is used fairly and reaches the people who need it most.  

Anyone who gives false or misleading information on their application may be 

• refused support
• reported to the police

Fraud is taken seriously. We have the duty to protect public funds. 

Application Completion Policy 

Your application is not counted as submitted until it is completed. 

What does it mean? You must: 

• Answer all questions fully and accurately 
• Provide all required information 
• Upload all supporting documents (e.g. proof of address, etc) 

If anything is missing, the application date will be the date we receive the final item. This could mean you miss the deadline or the fund runs out, and we will not be able to help you. 

Zero Tolerance Policy 

We are here to help, and we ask that everyone treat our team with respect. 

We will not tolerate abusive, threatening, or aggressive behaviour (including over the phone, social media, by email, or in person). If it happens, it will disqualify you from receiving any funding from us now and the future. 

Watch Out for Scams 

We are aware that some people have received fake text messages about the Household Support Fund or heating help. 

We will never contact you directly to ask you to apply! 

If you get a message like this, it is likely a scam – please do not click on any links or share personal information.  

HSF Advice Services

Are you confident you are receiving all the benefits or tax credits you are entitled to? Are you stressed about debt or worrying about how to make your money stretch further? Help is out there!

Citizen’s Advice have teamed up with Surrey County Council to offer tailored financial advice to check that your finances are in the best shape they can be. If you are interested in finding out more, and how you might be able to maximise your income, please contact Surrey’s Welfare Line on 0300 200 1008 and ask to be referred for ‘HSF advice services’. For Deaf and hearing-impaired residents please contact the Surrey’s Welfare SMS: 0786 0053 465 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm).

How do I apply? 

• Apply yourself using the online application form below 
• Ask an organisation that supports you to refer you 

If you need help filling the form in, please contact us: 

• Email: hsf@surreycoalition.org.uk
• Tel: 01483 456558
• SMS: 07908671402