Household Support Fund (HSF)

Household food and energy bills support

Citizens Advice BCP manages some of the Household Support Fund (HSF) on our behalf, providing household grants to help with food and fuel bills.

To qualify for the HSF, you:

• must live in the BCP Council area
• over the age of 16 and living independently of parents or carers
• do not have the money to pay for essentials
• can provide the required proof of your identity, BCP Council residency and household financial information, including a summary for every person in your household not in full-time education. You may also be required to provide proof of income, such as a recent bank statement

Demand for the HSF grant is high and it may take 8 weeks to process your application. We cannot guarantee that you will receive the grant and your application may be rejected due to a lack of funds. We will support as many applicants as possible, but funds are limited.

When and how to apply

You can find out when and how to apply for the HSF on the Citizens Advice BCP website.

School holiday food vouchers

The HSF funds vouchers of £15 per child per week for the summer holidays for children receiving free school meals. Vouchers are also available at the school’s discretion for those in financial hardship. Schools issue vouchers directly to families, and you do not need to apply.

Food vouchers may also be available for children under 5 years if certain criteria are met. To receive a voucher, children must be living in Bournemouth, Christchurch, or Poole and meet one of the following criteria:

• currently claiming 2 year old early education funding at an early years setting in Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole during the term
• currently claiming Early Years Pupil Premium funding for 3 and 4 year olds at an early years setting in Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole during the term (this is different to the early education funding available to all 3 and 4 year olds)
• currently have an open case with a social worker or Early Help family support worker and are of pre-school age

Claims for a food voucher for a child under 5 are made via an application form available before each holiday period. Check the Family Information Team's Facebook page or contact the Family Information Service on 01202 093131 to see when the application form is available.

Help with saving energy and keeping warm

We are working with existing local energy partners and schemes such as Dorset Healthy Homes and Local Energy Advice Partnership.

Ridgewater Energy can help provide more information on what is available, and further support and advice can be found on our energy and utility bills page.