Households handed free £130 payment in October and November - check if you are eligible

UK households receiving specific benefits are being handed a free £130 cost of living payment in October and November.

The payment comes as part of the government's Household Support Fund which provides local councils across England with a share of a funding pot worth £742 million. The fund helps vulnerable homes pay for essential living costs over the cold winter months, including energy bills, food and other essentials. The funding is allocated from now until March 31, 2026, and local councils independently decide how to share the cash, so depending on where you live, there may be different criteria to qualify for the support.

In North West England, Manchester City Council has confirmed it will be issuing payments of £130 to eligible households in late October and early November.

The payments will be in the form of either a direct bank transfer or Post Office vouchers and will be sent out over a period of two weeks, with exact dates yet to be confirmed.

The £130 is to help support households getting Council Tax Support and a disability benefit, such as Personal Independence Payments or Disability Living Allowance, and only one payment will be allocated per household.

Manchester City Council said: "The Household Support Fund helps vulnerable households affected by the cost-of-living crisis. If you qualify for a targeted payment of £130, payment will be made in October/November 2025. Only one payment will be made for the period from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026."

The Council added: "Households receiving Council Tax Support and a disability benefit, for example, Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payments (PIP) will get £130. Only one payment will be made per household.

"If you pay council tax by Direct Debit: Payments will go directly into your bank account. If you pay council tax by cash at PayPoint, or by Standing order, bank transfer or online, or if you have no council tax to pay: You'll receive a Post Office Payout voucher by post. It can be cashed at any Post Office.

"Payments will be made in late October/early November 2025. Post Office vouchers will be sent over two weeks starting in late October."

As Household Support Fund cash is distributed independently by local councils in England, it means that the cost of living support available will vary by location, with different vouchers or grants up for grabs up and down the country.

The payments may also be issued at different times depending on where you live, so it's possible for some to receive the support in time for Christmas, while others may have a longer wait.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) says there may also be differences in who the money is given to and if or how you need to apply for the support, as some local councils opt to share the money out through local charities and community groups, while some limit household applications to one per year.

For example, households in Staffordshire can get a one off £300 utility payment made direct to their utility provider via the scheme, while residents in Calderdale can get a maximum of two payments of £85, amounting to £170 worth of support in total.

North Yorkshire Council is issuing £190 cost of living payments to eligible households from October 8 to spend across nine different supermarkets, including Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Tesco and M&S.

Doncaster Council will pay eligible households up to £300 towards food costs, while other households can qualify for a £100 payment to go towards energy bills.

In West Yorkshire, Leeds City Council is issuing payments of up to £120 to low income households receiving Council Tax Support from October 13, while households in Nottingham can get energy vouchers worth £98 and supermarket vouchers worth £75, amounting to £173 worth of support.