Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Household Support Fund in supporting low income families; and if she will make a statement.

The Department for Work and Pensions requires Local Authorities provide management information (MI) returns detailing their spend and volume of Household Support Fund awards made in relation to food, energy and water bills, essentials linked to energy and water bills, wider essentials, and housing costs. MI returns also detail grant spend and the volume of awards made in relation to families with and without children.

This information, for the scheme running 6 October 2021- 31 March 2022, will be published in the coming months.