The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has notified us of a text message scam where residents are being told they are eligible for financial assistance linked to the Household Support Fund (HSF), Cost of Living Payments and UK Home Office notifications.
The DWP says it is taking action to close down fraudulent sites but has asked residents to be wary of attempted scams.
In addition, West Sussex County Council will never text or call you to ask for your bank details in relation to welfare support.
If you think you may have been the victim of a scam, you should report this to Action Fraud or by phoning 0300 123 2040.
From 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, the UK Government is providing funding through the Household Support Fund. We will use this funding to support low-income households with the rising cost of living, including energy, food and essential bills.
The Community Hub is administering the application-based element of the fund.
The fund is intended to cover a wide range of low-income households in need including:
families with children of all ages
pensioners
unpaid carers
care leavers
disabled people
larger families
single-person households
those struggling with one-off financial shocks or unforeseen events
This list is not exhaustive and there may additionally be households that are subject to requiring support.
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How support is provided
Household Support Funds will be available through a range of different methods including via district and borough councils, direct support through applications via the Community Hub and distributed in partnership with other organisations including Citizens Advice and food and fuel banks.
Food and household essentials vouchers
Successful applicants will be awarded the below supermarket voucher values dependant on the size of their household.
Households with one or more adults: £50
Households with one child: £50
Households with two or more children: £75
Energy support
If you are currently experiencing financial hardship with no alternative option available and are concerned that your energy supply may be at risk of disconnection, please complete an application for support.
Please be aware that for all support (food, household and energy):
no cash payments will be given
applicants who meet the criteria will receive a one-off support offering per household only
all applications will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and all support offerings are subject to specified criteria
vouchers can only be used for the purpose they are provided for and are not for resale.
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Apply for support
You will need to provide evidence of hardship with your application form and our team will assess your circumstances against the eligibility criteria.
You will need documentation supporting your application, such as:
proof of ID, photographic or official letter
a recent bill or official letter as proof of address and residence in West Sussex
evidence of benefits, including any discounts or reductions
other relevant evidence of your household’s current hardship.
Please be aware, we may not be able to process your application without the supporting documentation.
Use the West Sussex County Council online form below to request support.
If your request is urgent, for example, you are going to run out of food within the next two days, please phone 033 022 27980. Lines are open between 9.00am and 5.00pm seven days a week, except bank holidays, when they are open between 10.00am and 2.00pm.
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Vouchers
Where possible we will normally provide vouchers as the primary support offering. If you have any queries regarding vouchers, including how to claim them, you can find comprehensive guides and information below.
These vouchers are to be used for the purpose for which they are provided and are not for resale.
Please be aware: Evouchers sent via email may take up to 72 hours to arrive. If an email address is not provided, then vouchers will be posted to the applicant's address, which may incur further delay.
You don’t have to be receiving benefits to access help from your local council. If you do receive benefits, they won’t be affected when making an application via this scheme.
If you need to talk or find information about what is happening locally, Carers Support West Sussex can offer you guidance and a listening ear. Their fully trained staff can be contacted via email, telephone or online chat.
You do not need to be in a caring role to benefit from this service.
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Privacy notice
You can find details about how we use and manage your personal data on our privacy notice.
