Household Support Fund
At the Spring Budget speech on March 6th delivered by the Chancellor, it was confirmed that the national household support fund programme will continue for another six months beyond March 31st 2024. However, Local Authorities will have to wait until further details and actual amounts are confirmed per district from Central Government. Therefore details of support that will be available in Chorley April 1st onwards cannot be confirmed at this time. This webpage will be updated when support is available for residents to apply or access
Please note - the below support is still currently available
Quick Links
- Household Support Fund
- Support Available
- Energy Support
- Food and other essentials - Children and Families
- Food and other essentials - General Support
- Important information on accessing support
- Accessing help now
Household Support Fund
The Department for Work and Pensions have announced an extension of the Household support fund to be made available to Councils in England to help with significant rising living costs. It is intended to help those who do not have enough resources to meet immediate short term needs and require assistance with essential items over the coming months.
In line with national guidance, the new phase will be prioritising and targeting energy support to people who have not been eligible for income related benefits and who have not had any other government cost of living support to date.
Please note that resident does not need to be on benefits or unemployed to receive this funding if they can demonstrate need.
Support available
The scheme will be available to eligible Chorley residents from July 2023 to 31 March 2024. However, depending on demand from residents the fund may close earlier so it is encouraged that you seek support early.
In Chorley we have developed our approach to distribute this funding by working collectively in partnership with our community organisations and voluntary groups to provide support whilst also linking residents with wider support.
The fund will help with short-term living costs such as food, energy and essential items. The scheme will also signpost you to other sources of advice and assistance.
Please note that Household Support Fund processing times for support may vary between organisations.
Type of requests will be not be covered by the Household Support Fund:
- Any requests for items that are not essential
- Applications from those with sufficient income or savings
- Requests for support where this is the responsibility of the landlord
- Priority will be given to those who have not been eligible for income related benefits and who have not had any other government cost of living support
For information or support with the cost of living - visit chorley.gov.uk/costofliving
If you need additional help or have further questions please contact Chorley Council on 01257 515151 or email hsf@chorley.gov.uk and use the description "household support fund" in your email.
Energy Support
Due to significant demand, applications for Energy Support is now closed. All other forms of support still remain available
Citizens Advice Lancashire West are partnering with Chorley Council to support residents who are struggling with electricity, gas, and water costs.
Eligibility: Your Household has not been awarded a Household Support Fund payment within the last 6 months.
For clients not yet eligible to apply, help can be provided in other ways by:
- Contacting your energy supplier and see what support they can offer you. Unless you have large arrears or have failed to meet agreed payment plans, they should be able to offer you support.
- If you rent from a social landlord, contacting them and see what support they can offer.
- Contacting CA Lancashire West for a referral to their Cost of Living Support Worker who can check your benefit entitlement and help you access other support
For clients eligible to apply:
Please complete the online application on our website via the link below.
Please note: Submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance. In line with current Government guidance, you can have savings, you do not need to be on benefits to apply and this money does not need to be paid back.
CA Lancashire West will aim to process applications within 12 working days of receiving all the required information. Depending on the level of demand for the fund, this may not always be possible and the amount paid is at the discretion of the local council. During this time please do not submit further applications or try to contact us regarding your application.
Applications to the Household Support Fund are once in every 6 months. You will need to wait to apply, if your household received a Household Support Fund payment within the last 6 months.
Food and other essentials - Children and Families
Home-Start Central Lancashire
Home-Start Central Lancashire is based in Chorley and offers a range of family support services. They are a local community network of trained volunteers and expert support staff, helping families with children through their challenging times.
They offer a home-visiting support service for families struggling with issues such as post-natal depression, early childhood development, isolation, challenging behaviour and much more.
Office hours are Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm.
Website - Home Start Household Support Fund
Telephone number - 01257 241636
Email admin@homestartcentrallancs.org.uk
Food and other essentials - General Support
Gateway - Chorley Help the Homeless
Food and essentials support - Food Parcels, toiletries and small household items can be provided and collected from The Gateway, Friday St, Chorley, PR6 0AA
Opening Times: 10am to 2pm on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday / 10am to 1pm on Friday's
Please drop in or contact via phone or email.
Telephone - 01257 220077
Email - reception@chth.org.uk
Include your name, the number of adults and children in your household, your phone number so that we can contact you and help provide best support
Food Support - SVP Chorley Buddies Food Clubs
For just £5 every time you shop, you can access a weekly food provision in which you can access up to £25 worth of food to help support you and your household and save good food from going to landfill.
5 venues are available to join across Chorley where you can come along and choose your own food, coming away with fresh fruit and vegetables, tinned and packaged produce, cereal, chilled and frozen food, bread and much more. All clubs also have a social activity element in which refreshments are available after the food club.
Monday - St Paul's Church, Adlington - 10.30am
Tuesday - St Joseph's Parish Centre - 10.30am
Wednesday - St John the Divine Parish Hall, Coppull - 10.30am
Thursday - Buttermere Community Centre - 10.30am
Friday - Clayton Brook Village Hall - 10.30am
If you would like to know more and register, contact SVP Chorley Buddies.
Email: chorleybuddiesreferrals@svp.org.uk
Tel. 01257 542367
Chorley United Reform Church / The Hollinshead Centre
Providing support with food through a mixture of hot meals and small food parcels. A warm place to be, with refreshments,
The Meeting Place (open 10am to 2pm) on Wednesdays and Thursdays, with lunch at around 12 both days.
A free hot take away meal is available on Thursday evenings at 5pm from the porch at the end of Byron Street.
If you would like to receive support, please contact us by:
Phone - 01257 760066 and select option 1 or
Email - community.minister@chorleyurc.org
Living Waters Food bank
Food and essentials support for non-children households
Residents can be supported with a food parcel which can be collected on Tuesday's and Friday's. Contact must be made at least one day before collection for the parcel to be prepared. They can also help support with small non-food related items.
Open Tuesdays and Fridays 10am to 2pm. This service can be accessed by referral via an approved agency or contacting them direct and quoting Household Support Fund.
For more information contact:
Living Waters Church, 33-35 Bolton Street, Chorley, PR7 3AB Email: storehouse@lwchurch.uk.
Tel: 07889 747045
St Laurence's Church - Food support
A range of support available from emergency food parcels to evening and lunchtime meal provision available every week Monday to Friday along with activity.
Emergency Food Support Parcel
If you cannot access support in evening and weekends and in a crisis for food - please contact us for help
Call 07763 226275
Open Table - Hot Food Provision
Every Monday 5pm till 5.30pm
Each Monday evening, join us for a homemade main meal and pudding, served for you at the table.
Tea, coffee and squash available.
Taste Cafe
Every week - Tuesday to Friday, 11am to 2pm
Tea and coffee, squash, hot soup, rolls, a selection of cakes and fruit, all available inside St Laurence's Church.
'Pay what you can' basis, but donations not essential.
Each day Lego Table and Colouring Station for children.
Every Thursday Join 'Talking Tables' from 11am
Welcome Spaces
Every week - Thursday to Friday, 11am till 2pm
If you are likely to struggle to meet the rising costs of heating this winter, and would be at home on your own, why not spend some of your day at St Laurence's Church?
We have hot food available and activities including: jigsaws, a 'book nook', free warm and waterproof clothing available, 'working wardrobe' - clothes available for interviews and also a free basic haircut is available, Daily newspaper available and people around to chat with too.
Important information on accessing support
As this funding is allocated to Chorley residents in financial difficulties you may be asked to provide proof of residency or other supporting documentation, but our delivery partners will work with you to make this as simple as possible.
Our partner organisations will talk to you about your situation and work out the best way to help you including offering wider and if needed longer term support.
You can access support for food and essentials and fuel support, but you should only access the fund through one partner unless you are referred to a different delivery partner by one of the delivery partners.
Your details will be used to contact you about this support or refer you to one of the other delivery partners listed above if they are more appropriate to support you. We will also cross check applicant details provided between partners to prevent misuse of the fund. As Chorley Council are a delivery partner, we may also receive your details to provide support as part of this fund.
We may collate information to help us target support in the future and may ask if you would be willing to provide follow up information to advise how the fund has supported you.
Accessing help now
Food provision and wider support
If you need emergency support now with food provision, you can view more information on emergency food support,
If you need additional help or have further questions please contact Chorley Council on 01257 515151 or email HSF@chorley.gov.uk and use the description household support fund in your email.
Energy and Debt
Please look at the links below to understand what support you can access, tips to maximise your income, what discounts and offers are available and how to access debt (including with your energy supplier) support.
Cost of living payments provided by the government - GOV.UK
Grants and benefits to help pay your energy bills - Citizens Advice
If you have not received your disability cost of living payment, you should report a missing cost of living payment on the GOV.UK website
Benefits Calculator - Citizens Advice
Over 50 with a Workplace or Personal Pension? Some people may be considering accessing their pension savings to help with issues like energy bills, debt, or to cover everyday essentials. Pension Wise which is delivered by Citizens Advice specialists. It offers free, impartial guidance to people over 50 with a workplace or personal pension and can help them understand their options. You can get pension advise on the Money Help website or by calling 0800 138 3944
Get help if you are struggling to pay your bills - Citizens Advice
Do you have a deduction on your Universal Credit payments? Contact your Job Centre or put a note on your journal asking for a review
Do you rent your property from a housing association? Contact your association as they may have funds you can access
Support with energy bills - Citizens Advice
Help with gambling problems - Citizens Advice
If you require any support with debt you can also use the Citizens Advice webchat service
Or call the national Debt Advice helpline on 0800 240 4420 Lines are open Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm
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