Many residents who won’t get their winter fuel payment this year will receive extra help from us thanks to a fresh round of the Household Support Fund (HSF).

Pensioners receiving council tax support (but not pension credit) who have recently had their winter fuel payments stopped will get a payment.

If a household has one or more people aged 80 or over, the household will receive £300. If no one in the household is 80 or over, the household will receive £200.

More than 1,000 households across the Bay will benefit from this and letters will be sent by the end of this month to those eligible.

We've been allocated a share of £1.2 million from the fund, now in its sixth round.

The fund provides support for a wide range of low-income households in need, including families with children, pensioners, unpaid carers, care leavers and disabled people, larger families, single-person households, and those struggling with one-off financial shocks or unforeseen events.

We've set up a number of other schemes to help those most in need.

These include:

• Foodbanks – support for 10 Foodbanks through the Torbay Food Alliance
• Social supermarkets – support for six social supermarkets
• Debt and advice services – financial support available
• Supermarket vouchers – for families with children. These will be distributed by Torbay’s Family Hubs in Brixham, Paignton, and Torquay.
• Help for individuals in financial hardship – available through partner agencies
• Council Tax Support:
• Extra help for 6,000 working-age households who qualified for working-age council tax reduction on 1 October 2024.
• There's no need to apply – details will be sent to those who are eligible.

Councillor Alan Tyerman, Cabinet Member for Housing and Finance, said: “We’re pleased to have been allocated another round of the Household Support Fund to help those most affected by the continuing high cost of living.

“We know that the ending of the winter fuel payment in particular will hit many people hard and this funding boost will go some way to assisting the most vulnerable across Torbay as we head into the colder months, when heating bills rise.”

This round of the Household Support Fund, which is funded by the UK government, will last until March.

Find out more about the Household Support Fund and other help available