Dudley Council has received £2.6 million in the latest round of Household Support Fund funding, which runs until March next year.

The money will be used to provide support to households experiencing financial hardship or crisis, who would otherwise struggle to buy food, pay utility bills, or meet other essential living or housing costs.

As in previous rounds, the majority of the money is to be distributed through key council services and organisations within the voluntary sector.

Targeted financial support will also be provided to 2,989 pensioners who do not receive pension credit but do receive support with housing benefit and council tax.

Those eligible will receive a £125 supermarket card to help offset increases in the cost of living. The cards will be issued automatically. In addition, £350,000 from the Household Support Fund (HSF) is to be made available in January for borough residents of all ages to apply for a one-off single payment of £200. Anyone that has already received an award in this financial year will not be eligible.

Those who qualify for the payment need to apply online from January 22, with the payments allocated on a first come first served basis. Also funded through the HSF, Dudley Council is working with Dudley Council Voluntary Sector to provide assistance for people through organisations including Provision House, Barnardo’s, Black Country Foodbank and Brierley Hill Baby Bank.

Plus, the fund will help the council offer financial support to residents to prevent homelessness, as well as advice on energy bills, free school meal vouchers to families in the holidays and welfare rights support.

Other services providing support will be Dudley Family Hubs, the school hardship fund and the care experienced team.

Councillor James Clinton, cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, said: “We’ve already distributed millions of pounds to those who are the most vulnerable through previous rounds of the household support fund.

“We are pleased to be able to offer targeted financial support to pensioners and one-off payments of up to £200 through our online application process. Both can be used to help people with the cost-of-living increases.

“It’s important to state that our Household Support Fund applications process only represents a small amount – around 15 per cent – of where the Household Support Fund goes.

“The great majority of the fund helps people in most need, via frontline services.

“Furthermore, the allocation of the Household Support Fund is just part of the work we are doing to help ease the burden of increasing costs.”

Information is available online Household Support Fund alongside further information cost of living support.