Surrey County Council announces £9.3 Million in Household Support Funding to help residents with bills and food shopping
However, the value of food vouchers for recipients of free school meals during holidays has been reduced from £15 to £10 per child
Surrey County Council has announced the allocation of the seventh round of the Household Support Fund (HSF), with £9,324,930.29 available to support residents facing financial hardship.
The funding, provided by the Department for Work and Pensions, will be available until 31 March 2026 and aims to provide vital assistance with food, fuel, water, and other essential needs.
This latest round sees the fund amount drop by 12% from previous allocations, the council say this prompts a more targeted and strategic approach to ensure support reaches those most in need. The fund will be distributed through a network of local organisations and services across Surrey.
Breakdown of the allocation:
£4.1 million for food vouchers during school holidays.
£980,000 to Citizens Advice for income maximisation and financial guidance.
£125,000 to the Surrey Community Helpline for welfare and financial support referrals.
£1.7 million to support food banks, community fridges, food clubs, and Voluntary Community Social Enterprise organisations.
£750,000 to the Surrey Crisis Fund for emergency financial aid.
£340,000 to extend the Low Income Family Tracker (LIFT) platform to better identify and support eligible households.
£548,000 for poverty prevention initiatives and awareness campaigns.
£50,076.29 in contingency funding to address unforeseen disruptions affecting financial or welfare stability.
Between HSF rounds 5 and 6, Surrey saw a 24% increase in households supported. In response, the Council has centralised fund distribution to ensure consistency and efficiency across the county. The LIFT platform will play a key role in proactively identifying households in need based on welfare and benefit uptake.
Surrey County Council is also developing a new scheme to be launched later this year, which will make additional HSF funds available to eligible residents. Applications are not yet open and further details will be announced in due course.
However, the value of food vouchers for recipients of free school meals during holidays has been adjusted from £15 to £10 per child, the authority says this is to reflect the reduced budget. This will take effect from half term October 2025.
Councillor Mark Nuti Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Public Health said: “We know that many families across Surrey continue to face real financial pressures. This latest round of Household Support Funding is a vital resource to help those most in need access essentials like food, energy, and emergency support. Despite a reduction in funding, we are committed to ensuring that every pound is used effectively to support our residents. By working closely with local partners and using data-driven tools like the LIFT platform, we can target support where it’s needed most and help prevent people from falling into crisis.”