Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to prevent councils running out of funding for the Household Support Fund before the end of September 2022.

In England, £421 million is being provided to extend the Household Support Fund from 1 April to 30 September inclusive which will continue to help people who are struggling to afford energy and water bills, food, and other essentials.

Local Authorities have been issued with the fund guidance and the accompanying grant determination for the extended funding. Local Authorities have discretion on exactly how this funding is used within the scope set out. It is for Local Authorities, using their local ties and knowledge, to design local schemes that best meet the needs of local people.

The Household Support Fund extension is just one part of a wider package. We recognise the pressures on the costs of living and we are doing what we can to help, including spending £22 billion across the next financial year to support people.

The government is continuing to monitor developments and the consequences for the cost of living and will be ready to take further steps if needed to support households.