Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 51543 on Cost of Living: Fylde, what steps she is taking through the Household Support Fund to support vulnerable households with (a) energy and (b) food costs in Fylde constituency; and what steps she plans to take to ensure the effective delivery of support to people.

We are providing £742 million to extend the Household Support Fund until 31 March 2026 in England. This enables Local Authorities to continue to provide vulnerable households with immediate crisis support towards the cost of essentials, such as energy, water and food, and to develop their schemes to help prevent poverty locally and build local resilience.

Authorities have the discretion to design and deliver their own local schemes within the parameters of the guidance and grant determination that the Department for Work and Pensions have set out. This is because they have the experience and the relationships to determine how best to support those in their local areas. Authorities also have a wide range of data and sources of information at their disposal to identify and provide support to a broad cross section of vulnerable households.

Authorities must make sure that this support is clearly advertised and is inclusive and accessible. The scheme guidance states that every Authority must operate part of their scheme on an application basis to allow the opportunity for individuals struggling with the cost of essentials to ask for further support.