KCC - HSF Winter Food and Energy Scheme Launch information.

(FINAL ROUND of Household Support Fund)

 

Funded by the Department for Work and Pensions on behalf of the UK government, the Household Support Fund scheme supports vulnerable Kent households in need of help with significantly rising living costs. The Government has announced that this current round of HSF funding will be the last.

 

This final round of Household Support Fund will provide Winter Food or Energy support, and will run from January to end February 2026, offering an online public application route that enables individual self-referral, or professional referrals on behalf of individuals requiring digital assistance, to be made.

 

This scheme has provisionally been scheduled to open for online applications from Mid-day on Thursday 8th January 2026 and will close at Mid-day Thursday 26th February 2026. These dates subject to change at short notice. The Scheme may close earlier if all the available HSF funds are allocated, therefore early application is recommended.

 

There is a limited amount of funding available for this scheme and funds will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. Support is offered on a one award per ‘household’ basis, therefore applications from more than one resident deemed to be within the same household will not be approved.

 

Please note that online registration is required for energy card support, those applicants being referred who do not have access to the internet or a smart phone will be offered a food voucher, which can be delivered by post or email but does not require online security registration.

 

If successful, energy support will be provided in the following ways depending on their bill payment method:  

  

A £90 virtual pre-paid energy card* to be used to pay directly to energy providers for electricity, gas, or water bills. Energy providers including British Gas, EDF, Eon, Bulb, Octopus and many more. Sent to applicant via email by our provider Evouchers.com. Any help you may need to redeem your food or Energy card can be found at:

·       https://help.evouchers.com/hc/en-gb/articles/24186825100433-How-to-claim-and-activate-your-prepaid-card

*The prepaid card is issued by Paynetics UK (company number 1248133), with its registered address at 1st Floor, 18 Devonshire Row, London, England, EC2M 4RH. Paynetics UK is an electronic money institution authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under firm reference number 942777 for the issuance of e-money and the provision of payment services in the UK.Weavr Ltd acts as a distributor of Paynetics UK in the UK territory.For more information, including the terms and conditions and privacy notice, please visit our website at Evouchers. Google Wallet is a trademark of Google LLC. Wonde Limited trading as Evouchers is a company registered in England and Wales (registration number 08645640) with its registered office at Furlong House, 2 Kings Court, Newmarket, CB8 7SG. Wonde is not an authorised electronic money institution

    

Applicants must 

• be aged 16 or over
• be a Kent resident, permanently living within one of the 12 local authorities covered by Kent County Council (this excludes Medway, Bexley, or Bromley)
• be in receipt of means tested benefits or, if you are not in receipt of means tested benefits, you have a household income of £33,000 or less per year
• not be eligible for free school meals.

 

Families who are eligible for free school meals support are, as is usual, excluded from this scheme as they will receive a voucher and holiday support, funded by the Household Support Fund, for each eligible child via their child’s school outside of this scheme. FSM families should contact their child’s school in the first instance if you believe they are entitled to this FSM support.

 

 

Application link: 

If support is required because of the increase in cost of living, apply for the Household Support Fund on the following link: 

 

Household Support Fund - Kent County Council 

(application form link will not appear until the scheme opens at noon on Thursday 8th January 2026)

  

Only one application is permitted per household, applicants are reminded that this is taxpayers’ money so please spend it wisely on your energy, food and essential household items only.

 

Citizens Advice will also provide support to applicants who struggle to make online applications by calling the Citizens Advice freephone helpline on 0300 304 8003 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm – this line opens Thursday 8th January until scheme closure) they will submit online applications on behalf of applicant.