Low-income households in the Dorset Council area will be able to apply for the next round of the Household Support Fund, to help with the rising cost of living.

Dorset Council has been awarded further funding from the government's Household Support Fund to help households in the most need with their energy, food, and water bills.

The support will be in the form of supermarket vouchers.

Citizens Advice will be allocating this fund on behalf of Dorset Council and vouchers will be issued to residents who meet the eligibility criteria within six to eight weeks.

Unlike Round 3 of the grant, which saw two application windows, Round 4 will be split into six different windows, spread over six months, allowing more residents to have a chance to apply.

Dorset Council residents will be able to apply if they have:

• An annual household net income of less than £30,000, and
• Savings of less than £16,000, and
• Not applied for a previous HSF payment within the last 6 months

Calculations for the annual net income should not include Personal Independence Payments, Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Carers Allowance or Child Benefit. Applications are limited to one per household.

Round 4 will open for applications at 9am on the following dates:

• Wednesday, May 3 2023
• Tuesday, June 6 2023
• Tuesday, July 4 2023
• Wednesday, August 2 2023
• Thursday, September 7 2023

Cllr Laura Beddow, Dorset Council portfolio holder for Culture, Communities and Customer Services said: "We welcome the extension of the Household Support Fund for another year and we are pleased to be able to announce our plan to support residents for the next six months.

"By opening six windows instead of two like in Round 3, we hope to be able to reach more residents during this time. Funds will be limited for each window and the form will close when they have been allocated, so please get in touch as soon as possible."

Residents should apply online. The application form will open at 9am on the dates specified above. Find more details here: https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/household-support-fund

If applicants need help completing the form, they can telephone customer services on 01305 221000 or visit a customer access point.

During Round 3, in collaboration with Citizens Advice, £700,000 in supermarket vouchers were distributed to eligible residents.

A further £60,000 was allocated to residents via Age UK and £85,000 via discretionary funds within the council's Housing, Children's Services Locality and Care Leaver teams. £85,000 was used as funding for food banks, community fridges and social supermarkets.

October half term, Christmas holiday, February half term, and Easter holiday food vouchers with a total value of over £1million were also distributed to the households of over 11,000 children and young people in receipt of income-related Free School Meals, or who qualify for Early Years Pupil Premium for their setting.

This fourth round is allowing the continued distribution of school holiday food vouchers during the May half term and summer holidays. Further funds are being allocated via Age UK and discretionary funds within the councils Housing, Children's Services locality and care leaver teams.