What is the Household Assistance Fund?

The Household Assistance Fund provides one-off financial sums to Elim customers who find themselves in financial difficulty with no disposable income or alternative means of short-term financial support. These will be discretionary one-off sums, usually in voucher form, and repayment will not be required. Payments made will be up to a maximum value of £250.

The fund can be used to enable customers to access basic living essentials or support in a time of financial hardship. Examples of what the fund could be used for are set out below, however this list is not exhaustive:

• Shopping vouchers for food (when immediate access to a food bank is not possible)
• Fuel vouchers, to include contributions towards prepaid meters, gas bottles or cylinders, or direct payments to any gas or electricity supplier
• Vouchers for school uniform or other essential shoes or clothing
• White goods or furniture, particularly for those customers requiring essential goods at the start of a new tenancy

How do I apply?

To make an application to the Household Assistance Fund please contact your Housing Officer. If you are unsure who your Housing Officer is, call us on 01454 411172 and a member of our team will be able to help you.

You will be provided with an application form and assistance in completing it. As part of this process we will ask you to provide us with your household income and expenditure information. This will enable us to consider whether you may be eligible for additional welfare benefits and in this case we will provide you with appropriate advice and support to make a claim

Once your application is reviewed, you should expect to hear from us within 3 working days.

What our funds cannot cover:

• Cash payments direct to residents
• Rent arrears
• Property deposits
• Loan repayments or general debts
• Fines including court fines and costs and legal aid
• Holidays
• Non urgent costs
• Long term needs

Please be aware that the application process will be subject to the availability of remaining funds in the Housing Assistance Fund budget at the point of application.

This fund is not targeted at customers living in Elim supported housing schemes. If you are a supported housing resident in need of urgent help as a result financial difficulty, please speak to your Supported Housing Officer who will be able to help you.